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#Italy CT Roberto Mancini has claimed Monza forward Mario Balotelli still has time to earn a return to the Azzurri. 'He has the best technique in Italy'.

Mancini: 'There's still time for Balotelli' | Football Italia

Italy CT Roberto Mancini has claimed Monza forward Mario Balotelli still has time to earn a return to the Azzurri. 'He has the best technique in Italy'. The striker left Brescia after the relegation to Serie B and has moved to Monza in the same division, but he has struggled with injuries...
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#SerieB #Monza #Azzurri #Balotelli https://t.co/p2lobA98Jm
 
AC Milan remain interested in signing Mattia Zaccagni from Hellas Verona and could offer up a winger as part of a swap deal, it is claimed.

According to Calciomercatoweb, Zaccagni is a player that fits perfectly within the parameters of Milan’s project, as he is young still but also in the prime of his maturity and wants to take the leap to a big club.

Milan planning to swap hauge and zaccagni in the summer
 
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Andrea Belotti’s future is in the balance. In the summer, there may be a race for “Il Gallo” as many clubs are on the hunt for his signature.

He went for the sixth consecutive season in double figures in Serie A with the Torino shirt. But once again, the performance of the team is proving to be lower than expected. Andrea Belotti certainly cannot be happy. Above all, he is experiencing a highly balanced contractual situation. The contract expires in 2022, but from the club’s part, as underlined this morning by Tuttosport, there have been no signs for the moment.

After the Euros Competition, the striker could decide, one year from the deadline, to leave, if the renewal proposal he receives does not satisfy him. Juventus is already trying to sign him but they are not the only team interested.

An attempt by Milan, which in the past had followed him for a long time, is possible. The Rossoneri want to present themselves at their best next year in a probable appearance in the Champions League and must start thinking about how to replace Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Even if the Swede continues for another season, he won’t be here forever. This is why Belotti, who is hungry play the Champions League (as he never participated in a major European trophy), could be ideal. The attacker can leave for a fee of €50 million, it is an assessment that with the contract expiring, and due to Covid-19, could drop further. This information was published by calciomercatonews.com
 
AC Milan have missed the presence of Ismael Bennacer in their midfield, but on Sunday they will be able to finally welcome him back.

As this morning’s edition of Tuttosport reports (via MilanNews), the Rossoneri have had to battle losing several of their key performers already along the way this season but have proved they have a squad and a game system better than most thought.

The return of Bennacer will be crucial though. The Algerian has warmed up his engines against Bologna, coming off the bench after almost two months of absence, and is now ready to take back a starting shirt.

Bennacer played for half an hour at the Renato dall’Ara, despite the long period of forced stop, and against Crotone – most likely – he will start from the beginning alongside Frank Kessié, his ideal partner in the middle of the field.

Tonali will make way for him, as he has not completely convinced in his first few months with the Rossoneri. The young midfielder has not (yet) performed according to the expectations of the club, and therefore it becomes an easier decision to slot Bennacer straight back in.

The post Tuttosport: Pioli
 
AC Milan’s owners Elliott Management allowed some flexibility in their vision to let Paolo Maldini and Ricky Massara conduct another impressive window.

As MilanNews writes, the Rossoneri management moved sensibly during the January mercato to strengthen all three departments with reinforcements that are very much within the club’s financial parameters, with one free transfer and two loan-with-option deals.

There is a sentence uttered by Paolo Maldini about Elliott that helps to understand how the climate within the club has changed. There were differences a year ago as the American fund only wanted to sign young players, but now there is more of a cohesive idea of what is needed.

Maldini wanted to publicly praise the work of Elliott, who – through Paul and Gordon Singer – understand that the team is in a fight for the title and made an effort. Before the match in Bologna, Maldini said: “The ownership allowed us to do what we wanted, of course within certain economic parameters, so we must be grateful for what we have.”

Paolo trusted his scouting and staff, but Elliott also trusted him and slightly changed their vision to include experience like Kjaer, Ibra and Mandzukic within a year.
 
MERCATO NEWS
CorSera: Milan’s three summer targets could arrive for total of €7m – Thauvin and the other names
By Oliver Fisher - 3 February 2021, 12:52
The winter market may have only just ended, but the management are already beginning to plan for the summer transfer campaign.

The Rossoneri are keeping a close eye on players who are on expiring contracts and who could therefore move in the summer on a free transfer, as reported by il Corriere dello Sport (via MilanNews).

Three targets in particular are mentioned by the paper, with Florian Thauvin of Marseille the first. He has decided not to renew with the French side and is a player that Maldini and Massara like, so they want to beat the competition in the coming weeks.

The Rossoneri will then continue to look for a deputy to Theo Hernandez in the summer and Matías Vina of Palmeiras is the number one target. He could leave Brazil for around €7-8m, and if it does not go through then Junior Firpo of Barcelona is the back-up, but he is valued at €25m.

The future of Brahim Diaz – who is on loan from Real Madrid – must then be decided. The management will work in the coming weeks to lower the cost of the young Spaniard or they will try to renew his loan.

If there were no chances of keeping him then Otavio of Porto will be the target to replace him, and he too would arrive on a free transfer
 
Hakan Calhanoglu has been one of the most important Milan players in recent time, as has become clear when he hasn’t been on the pitch. However, it hasn’t always been that easy for the Rossoneri’s No.10.

As MilanNews highlight, his importance became evident when he first had to withdraw with an injury and later due to COVID. Soauliho Meite, Brahim Diaz and Rafael Leao were all unable to fill his shoes, despite a few overall positive performances.

Fortunately for the Rossoneri, after his longest unavailability since he arrived in Italy, Calhanoglu will return to the squad for Sunday’s match against Crotone. That is the team he made his Milan debut against, which makes the clash a bit special.

In July 2017, the midfielder joined Milan from Bayer Leverkusen for a figure of around €22m. The Turk was one of the many signings of the crazy summer by Fassone and Mirabelli, though one of the few (along with Franck Kessie and Antonio Donnarumma) that still plays for the club.

With his free-kick skills, expectations started to build up and he made his debut in the first round of the season, against Crotone. We had to wait until September 14 for his first goal, though, as Milan faced Austria Vienna in the Europa League.

The first few months in Italy weren’t easy for Calhanoglu. The talent wasn’t really disputed by anyone, but he failed to turn his quality into service for the team. Then, as many expected, the turning point came.

After many tactical errors and upheavals, in November, the Rossoneri management decided to sack Vincenzo Montella. Gennaro ‘Rino’ Gattuso arrived in the latter’s place, and he made a simple but ever so important move: giving the team an identity.

The Calabrian manager decided to focus on the 4-3-3 formation and immediately gave confidence to Calhanoglu, deploying him as a left-winger in the trident with Suso as well as one between Nikola Kalinic, Andre Silva and Patrick Cutrone.

With Gattuso, the Turkish midfielder started to perform better and also found the back of the net more. The long-distance strike against Arsenal was a real pearl and in the final game of the season, he scored his first free-kick goal for the club. He ended his first season with 45 appearances, 8 goals and 17 assists.

These were positive numbers, for sure, but the real Calhanoglu was yet to arrive. Despite finding himself isolated from many games, Gattuso considered him an undisputed starter. In the 2018/19 season, Milan got so close to Champions League qualification but it wasn’t enough, resulting in Gattuso’s sacking.

Marco Giampaolo was brought in to replace the former midfielder, and it started well for Calhanoglu as he scored in the first game of the season against Brescia. However, except a few flashes, he struggled to perform on a consistent basis, much like the rest of the team.

Indeed, the Rossoneri were in a crisis and it was quite frankly a total disaster. Another managerial change, therefore, with Stefano Pioli brought in as the new man. It didn’t come straight away but in January, when the manager switched to 4-2-3-1, Calhanoglu and the team started to find the right path.

As an attacking midfielder, in the trequartista role, he seemed to find his place. And then, not trivial, he immediately got the coach’s confidence. In the post-lockdown period, he exploded definitively in all aspects, closing the season with 11 goals and 9 assists.

And at the start of this season, the music didn’t change. On the contrary, Calhanoglu acquired greater confidence. When Ibra is out injured, the Turk carries the team on his shoulders, both from a technical and character point of view.

The penalty obtained and transformed in stoppage time against Rio Ave is a symbol of the importance of the No.10, leading his side to a crucial win. In the first half of the season, he scored 6 goals, before the stop for a sprained ankle and then COVID.

His absence was felt, that’s for sure, and without him in the attacking trio Milan have struggled a bit. However, quoting the article, “The wait is over”. Milan are ready to welcome their champion back
 
AC Milan are leading the race for Florian Thauvin of Marseille but his arrival is far from guaranteed, a journalist has claimed.

Through our correspondent Pietro Balzano Prota, we revealed how Milan are monitoring Thauvin ahead of the summer window as a potential free transfer opportunity. He has 84 goals and 60 assists in 264 games for the Ligue 1 club, which means he is understandably attracting some interest.

Carlo Pellegatti spoke on his YouTube channel (via MilanNews) about the possible signing of the Frenchman Thauvin on a free transfer, insisting that he ‘has always told those who follow me that Thauvin will arrive at Milan’.

However, he reveals that complications have arisen regarding economic issues, perhaps not so much related to Thauvin’s salary, but more related to the commissions (signing-on bonus) to be paid to agents, which seem excessive.

The player’s interest in joining the Rossoneri is key, and Milan know they have to intervene in that area of the pitch, but the management of Casa Milan are very active and attentive to certain opportunities.
 
AC Milan were one of the most active teams during the January transfer window as they looked to strengthen their position in the top four.

Going into the winter mercato, it seemed as though the only thing that had a high chance of happening would be a centre-back arriving, but in the end three players arrived and four left for a total of seven transactions.

Here, we take a look at those operations – starting with the exits – and give a rating to each…

Outgoings

We begin with the four players that bid farewell to Milan during the window, one on a temporary basis, one permanent and two to be decided.

Leo Duarte

Deal: Initial 18-month loan
Cost: Option to buy (fee unknown)
Destination: Basaksehir

Duarte has never convinced since he arrived from Flamengo in the summer of 2019, but it was a surprise when all of a sudden news emerged that he was in Istanbul for a medical ahead of completing a loan with option to buy move.

Realistically this all boils down to what the figure of the option is as to whether Paolo Maldini and Ricky Massara have managed to somehow generate even a small capital gain. Given his injury problems and poor form, it was absolutely right for him to try a new adventure and extra marks come from the fact it could be more than just a simple loan.

Transfer rating: 7.5/10

Andrea Conti

Deal: Initial six-month loan
Cost: €7m option/obligation
Destination: Parma

Conti has struggled with several injures since he arrived from Atalanta, and it was right for him to move on too given Davide Calabria and Diogo Dalot are ahead in the pecking order.



Image: parmacalcio1913.com

Parma agreed to a €7m option to buy, which will turn into an obligation if they can avoid relegation this season. Milan will avoid a capital loss, which is crucial for the balance sheet, and the feeling is that he will get game time so that even if Parma drop there will be another buyer waiting. This is a very solid operation.

Transfer rating: 8/10

Lorenzo Colombo

Deal: Dry loan
Destination: Cremonese

Lorenzo Colombo made a name for himself in the pre-season games and scoring against Bodo/Glimt in the Europa League, but with Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Rafael Leao and Ante Rebic all preferred to him as centre-forward options, a loan was always the right move.

In terms of assessing the destination, Cremonese are a team fighting to stay above the drop zone in Serie B but the one thing that sticks out is they are lacking a goal scorer. Their three strikers have combined for nine goals all season with Luca Strizzolo leading the way (four goals).

That suggests Colombo should get a chance to prove that he can be the physical firepower they need to stay in the division. Perhaps a side more known for their attacking play would have been better, but this will be a useful experienced.

Transfer rating: 6.5/10

Mateo Musacchio

Deal: Permanent transfer
Cost: €1m
Destination: Lazio

Musacchio was clearly out of favour like Duarte and despite some playing time in the last few weeks his exit was inevitable. With just six months left on the contract, Milan decided to let him go for a small fee.

In truth, even recouping a small amount was excellent but of course the major aspect is avoiding paying his wages for another six months. He goes to a fellow top-four contender which may slightly worry some but it shouldn’t; he is merely injury cover until Luiz Felipe returns. A sound bit of work from Maldini and Massara.

Transfer rating: 8.5/10

Signings

Now we can move on to the fun part, and it must be noted that all the figures below are via Transfermarkt.

Soualiho Meite

Deal: Six-month loan with option to buy
Cost: €500k loan, €8.5m buy-out, €1.5m in bonuses

This was the first winter reinforcement as the management felt the need for a reinforcement in that department since Rade Krunic has failed to perform in the pivot and there have been injury problems.

The beauty of this is that it is yet another low-risk high potential reward deal, as there is nothing up front aside a measly loan fee and €1.6m salary to pay for a player who could be a very important piece moving forward.



Image: acmilan.com

His last couple of games have been shaky it must be said, but all we can do is evaluate how this move looks on paper and with the assumption that he will turn out to play a useful role. Should he do that, then the buy-out looks to be at a reasonable figure too given he is 26, has Serie A experience and is a sorely-needed vice-Kessie. If he continues to struggle, he won’t be bought.

Transfer rating: 6.5/10

Mario Mandzukic

Deal: Free transfer

A large section of the fanbase were crying out for a physical centre-forward to deputise Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and we didn’t think one would arrive until the Mandzukic operation was rushed through.

Milan thus decided to pounce on the free-transfer opportunity, with the Croatian ready to join straight away, and he will earn €1.8m for the first six months and the contract has an option for a one-year extension.

Again, this is such a low-risk high-reward deal. The salary is the only cost, and the Rossoneri welcome a player who at the very least can impart more wisdom and a winning mentality on a youthful group.

If his legs still appears to be fresh and he scores 10 goals between now and the season end, then he will have earned that extension and the deputy situation is sorted for next season. If not, he is free to go and Milan will try another avenue.

Transfer rating: 7.5/10

Fikayo Tomori

Deal: Six-month loan with option to buy
Cost: €28-30m buy-out clause

After chasing Mohamed Simakan for a long time, Milan decided to go with Chelsea’s Tomori and managed to secure him on a loan, crucially with an option to buy.

Simon Kjaer’s injury means we have already seen him in action, and it is enough for us to call this the masterpiece deal of January. He has hit the ground running and will only get more comfortable with a consistent partner.



Image: acmilan.com

Given that he is 23, has Premier League and Champions League experience and has a different set of characteristics to all the other centre-back option, €28m could really be a steal.

For those worried the buy-out is too high: Milan were willing to pay around €18m for Simakan in January. In the summer there should be more money available to bolster the centre-back department, and more on top of that if Champions League football is secured, so why won’t the club pay it?

Tomori is a defender for the future. He has thrown himself into his new experience by all accounts, impressing the staff in the process, and this feels like it could be a potential masterstroke.

Transfer rating: 9/10

As our recent feature analysed, Milan have been able to add three very useful pieces to their squad to help the push for the Scudetto in what are low-cost deals, while four players have left in financially/technically advantageous operations too.

There was no big splash to fully ensure that UCL football will be returning, nor was there anything that was a big welcome surprise like a move to get Florian Thauvin in early, but the management have once again done a great job of bolstering each department of the squad without breaking the bank.

The beauty now is that Milan have plenty of players (Dalot, Brahim Diaz, Meite, Mandzukic, Tomori, Tonali) that are fighting to prove they should be here next season when the project could really go up a level.

Overall rating: 8/10
 
Milot Rashica could be back in fashion for AC Milan in the summer transfer market session.

The Rossoneri just ended the transfer market window having made important signings. But, the management of the club is now looking ahead planning for the summer moves. The return to the top European competition would also allow the Rossoneri to face a high profile summer market, with great attention, however, also to possible opportunities. In this sense, a hypothesis could be back in fashion from the Bundesliga.

He is a Promising winger born in 1996 owned by Werder Bremen: Milot Rashica. He has already been sought by the Rossoneri club in the last summer mercato sessions and could be back in fashion again in the next transfer window. The talent’s contract is in fact due to expire in 2022, and could leave the Bundesliga side for a small amount of money.

The player’s valuation is around €20 million. He represents an important opportunity for Maldini and Massara considering the situations of Brahim Diaz and Samu Castillejo, both players are in the balance in June. Eyes are on the Rashica trail for the Rossoneri, as reported by calciomercatoweb.it.
 
Davide Calabria spoke during “AC Milan Talk” on Twitch. These are the statements of the Rossoneri full-back, the first player in Italy to be guest on an official channel of a club on the well-known streaming platform:

Have you heard the compliments of Vieri, Cassano and Adani?

“I didn’t hear them but they told me about it. It’s nice, they were great players. Even if we are only at the beginning, there is still a lot of work to do.”

How do you play your role?

“I think the world of football has evolved, inspired by Guardiola’s Barcelona. There is a tactic but then in the action the role is the same. Even if you are a full-back, if you are forward you start as if you were a forward. Of course, then you must have discipline. The evolution of football from an athletic point of view, everything is faster, has led to this interpretation here.”

The toughest opponent?

“As a team there are many. It’s a good league, there are many good teams. A game can change several positions. As a single there are so many, I can’t say just one. There are many strong players in Serie A.”

How good is our Milan?

“It is very nice, we are a good team, there is a spirit of sacrifice even in difficult moments. It is no coincidence that we have been doing well for more than a year, everyone wants to prove their worth. We are only at the beginning, there is still a lot to work. We are happy but we are at the beginning.”

How strong is Tomori?

“I did not know him. He is a good player, has a good personality, comes from a great team. He’s very aggressive and that’s great for the way we play, he can make us comfortable. He played an excellent match against Bologna.”

On the work done at Milanello beating fruits finally:

“Every week the page turns, you always have to think about the next game. It is obvious that when you do well there is some satisfaction.”

Who have you connected with the most this year?

“I connected well this year with Daniel Maldini. I knew him from before joining the first team.”

On Calabria’s inspirations:

“I grew up with Milan, there was Paolo Maldini. As a player, I have not followed one in particular. I don’t believe much in this, everyone is unique. As a man and as a person and as a team, Maldini’s Milan was my point of reference. As a Milan fan I couldn’t help but follow them. It was a group of champions.”

What do you do to focus before a match?

“I have my playlist of music which I listen to. There are many genres. I focus on listening to the music and imagining the possible actions of the game. We work a lot on the video.”

Did you listen to Leao’s album?

“I haven’t heard it yet but it’s on the schedule, it’s not the kind I listen to before the game but I could put it on the home – Milanello road.”

The next goal is dedicated to Twitch chat, can it be done?

“Absolutely, yes. Hopefully, it will be done already on Sunday.”

A thought about the late NBA icon Kobe Bryant?

“His passing touched me a lot. I was having dinner with my girlfriend, we had to leave because I felt like crying. Watching the videos I cried two or three days in a row. I was fond of him, he was tied to Italy as well. I tried to bring out the positives by trying to imitate him in my work. The “Mamba Mentality” he had … I tried to take as much as possible from it. It was an inspiration, it helped me. It really touched me. I’m not a very emotional one, that tragedy there touched me enough. Watching the videos I appreciated his mentality even more, still today I try to do what he did.”
 
Summer signing Sandro Tonali has far from convinced the Milan management with his performances since arriving, according to a report.

A move to Inter seemed all but sealed for Tonali, but the Nerazzurri’s reluctance and Antonio Conte’s demand for more experience in the middle of the park allowed Milan to act quickly and swoop to seal a deal within 72 hours. It is reported that Milan will sign Tonali on the formula of a €10m loan plus a €15m option to buy and €10m in further bonuses, and a future sell on fee of 15 per cent.

According to Tuttosport (via MilanNews), Ismael Bennacer will start in Sunday’s game against Crotone at San Siro and Tonali will make room for him. The 20-year-old has not completely convinced in his first few months with the Rossoneri.

The young midfielder has not (yet) performed according to the expectations of the club, which still believes in the potential of the player. Of course, competition is once again important with Bennacer’s return and finding space will not be as easy as before, but Sandro will have his chances.
 
F9EEACA1-766C-4416-A23F-D974321E4500.jpeg
 
#ACMilan have played with at least 4 absentees in 12 league games out of 20. They have been without Ibrahimovic for 10 games thus far.

📸 @Peppe3112_ https://t.co/Kq5d0tFKzd
 
Since the beginning of the 2020 calendar year, Zlatan Ibrahimovic is the only player to have scored 5+ right-footed (11), left-footed (5) and headed (6) goals in the 'top five' European Leagues.

[Via @OptaPaolo] https://t.co/yM2wG3pdKh
 
"One thing is for sure; many players in the world would pay out of their own pocket to play for a club like Milan " David Beckham
 
StatsBomb: Milan are the most likely candidates to suffer a drop in results.

According to a mid-season review published by StatsBomb earlier this month, AC MIlan are arguably the most likely candidates to suffer a drop off in results from now on, even though, the statistical outlet expects this season to be Milan’s most successful campaign since finishing third in 2012/13.

The UK-based company explained this decline by the fact that the Rossoneri are performing almost exactly in line with their metrics, which is not as strong as those of their main challengers.

Moreover, Zlatan Ibrahimovic‘s teammates have benefited from far more than their fair share of penalties, as they’ve won nearly three times and scored exactly twice as many as any other team.

Meanwhile, they’ve already been awarded six more penalties and scored two more than in the entirety of last season.
 
#ACMilan have played with at least 4 absentees in 12 league games out of 20. They have been without Ibrahimovic for 10 games thus far.

📸 @Peppe3112_ https://t.co/Kq5d0tFKzd
 
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