What will you do with the money part 2!

Well IF Silva and Ibra is sold this is the most best thing that can be done with the money in a realistic point of view.

Get either Dede or Ogbonna
Get Ganso for Money+Robinho
Get Destro
Astori for free, he is availible in a Bosman, surprised this has not happened yet
Try to get Sahin on loan, Veratti if move to PSG falls through in a coownership.
Try to get Dzeko on loan, this will only happen if RVP joins Man City.

forza.milan wrote:The first thing we must remember is that we are lucky to have a man such as Galliani running the club. This man may lie to us all often, he may not be transparent and he may not be conventional but Adriano is a man who has brought us many titles over many years and knows how the transfer market works. Even after Kaka' left us, even after Shevchenko was sold, Milan still continued on with their same traditions and class, always winning along the way.

The thing, though, that makes Galliani stand out above all others is his insane ability to read the mind of Silvio, deal with all his quirks (something Leonardo and even Maldini were unable to do), and then use what Berlusconi does give him, transfer and wage budget wise, and make a competitive team with it. The same, I believe, will happen in this transfer window. This man is known to pull magic out of his hat on occasion after occasion. Milan will survive.

There is no doubt that the Italian Serie A is at it's worst level since the current format of the competition exists. There are also few doubts that the upcoming season will be one of spectacular failure, in Europe and domestically. The country is in financial tatters, the management, both the FIGC and the Italian government, have been unable to address the most pressing of issues in the Italian game and due to these factors, the quality of the game has decreased progressively and we now stand where we are today as a result.

Milan lost close to €140m over the last two years. Sales were imminent. What pains me though and disappoints me most of all is the lack of passion showed. FFP allows clubs to have a loss variance of €30m in the first three years and then less after that. Milan, losing €70m the last financial year and then cutting loose close to €40m off the astronomical wage budget, would have fallen into these parameters, if only just, over the next reporting period. There was no need to sell.

That is, unless Berlusconi's desire was to do one of two things - clear the €200m+ debt that has accumulated during his ownership of the club, or, and this is the thought that hurts the most, he wishes Milan to make a profit for the next season, a profit which he will then withdraw from the coffers of the club and take into his personal investment fund to make up for the Mondadori ruling and partially fund his rumored new run for presidency.

That theory is made up of mostly rumors and my own deductions and that is why my words cannot be taken for granted, but read into it what you wish.

The flip side to that is that there is the possibility that Silvio's rumored new run for presidency will require an increase in popularity. I'm sure some of the older members of this forum, Iras, BigBoban, Dosto, know that this means Berlusconi will attempt to do this through a major signing, a present to the fans, if you wish. It makes little sense, though, to precede such a venture with these two sales and so this scenario is a highly unlikely one.

What a good, forward thinking owner would do is force the sales to remove two of the highest earners at the club, use the money to clear some of the accrued debt and replace the departures with young players of high potential who are cost effective and do this for a sustained period of time until the club is self sufficient. From there, the squad would be steadily improved to the point where an assault on Europe is ready.

But what we all know is that is not how Berlusconi operates and that is why I want him out. He has the best trasnfer director in the world, yet is making him look like Alessio Secco. This cannot go on. Don Silvio has disgraced our club with his antics and controversies. Milan used to resemble all that is class. Now, with the laughing stock Silvio at the helm and loose lipped Allegri making the fans stand red faced more often than ever before, an image of a classy Milan cannot be more untrue.

Transparency. It is something that the fans have longed for for a long time and something that we have never been given. Lie after lie, Milan fans have been made to look like fools by their own management. Offering Thiago Silva a new contract, making a massive deal of our president charitability and then selling the man he so graciously kept only a week later paints a picture of a club devoid of class. That word class again....

Now comes the part of my post that is purely my opinion, speculation and not much more.

Suposing we will invest half of what we earn from the transfer and that the squad still needs to be reduced by another 3 players like Galliani, Allegri and Tassoti have said, this is what I would do with the money.

Out:
Zlatan and Thiago = €70m. No words.
Taiwo and Mesbah = €5m. With Abate and Didac as starter with De Sciglio and Antonini as backups, full back is one of the position where we can cut some fat. Mesbah to Torino looks done for €1.5m and Taiwo has been linked with Benfica and English clubs often. €3.5m is a minimum.
Robinho = €15m. Even now that Zlatan looks to be gone, Robinho is one of our most marketable players but also one of our highest paid and most ineffective, on the pitch, players. With Malaga seemingly interested, now would be a good time to cash in.
Total = €90m

The transfer policy I would apply would be to bring in young talent, proved at a decent level already, preferably Italian, that will mature when this project that I would bring in would peak.

In:
Destro = €10m. With Roma looking to close a deal for the Siena man, we would have to move fast and he would not be cheap. Without Zlatan we don't have a target man and Mattia showed he can be that in his breakthrough season. Young, Italian, good technique and header - what's not to like?
Astori = €10m. A former Milan man and a defender I have admired for a very long time. We are one CB short of a somewhat solid makeshift defense and he is about as good as young(ish) Italian defenders come. Bocchetti an alternative. Ogbonna is an alternative.
Verratti = €10m. I don't think much needs to be said. We need a player to play in front of the defense and Allegri has said how he would like a playmaker for that position so if we have the money, go for it.
El Kaddouri = €4m. Showed incredible potential in Serie B last season for Brescia. More than just the name make him and El Shaarawy similar.
Total = €34m

Net revenue from transfers = €56m #FFP

Milan 2012/13

Abbiati
Abate - Mexes - Astori - Didac
Verratti
Nocerino - Montolivo
Boateng
Pato - Destro

No, Mexes is not ideal for the heart of defence. Yes, Didac still is an unknown quantity of sorts. But these next few season look like they will be ones of compromise. Might as well start from next season. On paper, is that side really much worse than a Juventus side, who lack even one world class striker and whose starting left back is currently De Ceglie? I believe that UCL qualification is a bare minimum for such a side and could even give a surprise Scudetto challenge if the team stays healthy. We are all witnesses to what Pato and Boateng can do when fit.

Milan 2014/15

Gabriel
De Sciglio - Acerbi - Astori - Didac
Verratti
Boateng - Montolivo
El Kaddouri
Pato - Destro / El Shaarawy

A potential future side. Not so bad, is it?

Re Tevez: would be a ridiculous trasnfer operation. Won't happen because Man City, Mancini and Tevez made peace at the end of last season, he earns only slightly less than Zlatan and would cost a lot of money too. MAKES THE ZLATAN SALE LOOK ABSOLUTELY POINTLESS

Whatever happens, it will be interesting.

This is only the second transfer market incident this summer. I assure you there will be at least two more.

Also, I'm sure you all know who I am so this will be my first and last post. Ciao Milanisti, stay faithful.

Giancarlo?

I would be royally pissed if Galliani thinks he can start a new generation by signing an out of form and out of shape Kaka

BiasedMilanFan3 wrote:I would be royally pissed if Galliani thinks he can start a new generation by signing an out of form and out of shape Kaka

Sad how his career went to sh1t. Thats life I guess.

kaka is a great player. only willing to take him if he takes massive paycut and we pay no more than 15 million. kaka is a kind a player who even without athletic power can play with his brain, as u have seen him numerous times making defense splitting passes, creativity he is incredibly good at reading striker movement, something kevin prince boateng lacks.

kaka is a beloved idol i will be happy to see him back but if he can bring his best out. im not counting on his speed. speed isnt everything that is required in the game. if he still has capability to mastermind attack that he did with us, he is more than welcome. but like i said, under right circumstances.

there are other areas we need to focus before kaka.

M99 wrote:
Astori for free, he is availible in a Bosman, surprised this has not happened yet

He is under contract.

Would a Juve style midfield work for Milan?

---------Montolivo
-----Boateng---Nocerino

M99 wrote:Astori for free, he is availible in a Bosman, surprised this has not happened yet

He is under contract..He was about to move to Spartak Moscow in a 15m euro deal but Cellino blocked the transfer.

So in conclusion he wont come for cheap if you decided to pursue him.

just been reading twitter updates about transfer situation regarding silva and ibra. ibra situation hasnt been revealed yet. meanwhile as u guys might have read that silva's agent came out and said that he was not aware of PSG making second attempt to buy silva. and he says silva deal will be only discussed after ibra situation is resolved.

maybe ibra will go as reported , but i still think he is very hesitant to move to PSG.

meanwhile new report suggest silva is asking more more than 7.5 million annual salary.

reports are always inconsistent. so we never know this deal may fall again and like biasedmilanfan said galliani comes out and says berlusconi saved the day , and leonardo coming to haunt our ass again with 3rd attempt to buy ibra and silva.

Apart from signing players you need, has anyone here considered changing system and tactics to make up for the loss of ability?

4-3-1-2 worked for the players you had but without Ibra and TS maybe with new players a new system and a new way of playing could be used?

Allegri might lose some sleep

I would get Og 20 mil max, Tevez for 25 million, Robinho for Rafael swap +extra cash if needed and finally Strootman.

Either buy Ogb or Dede, a very good CM and a striker or stick with what you have upfront and buy Og + Dede + CM. Then maybe use the sale of Robinho to buy a decent striker.

Of course this is fantasy talk but I don't want to see Milan literally use this money to clear debt.

If that's what happens then


I don't see the sale of Zlatan as anything other than stupid. He was sold for 10-15 million and replacing him went from very hard to mission impossible with that price range.

We should only buy a striker once Zlatan is sold.

I'm fine with buying two good CB's for 20m. But I know many people here would prefer to distribute the money across the field though.

lets look beyond the transfer fee,we wont be only getting money but we will also be saving more than 200+M in the next couple of years counting wages from all the players who left.this might actually have been a great deal if we sign good replacements

Given that Thiago Silva has now departed I feel that I can effectively consider Ibrahimovic a departed man and join this conversation.

One question that has been brought up is whether this 'revolution' of sorts can be seized as an opportunity to alter our formation. Strictly speaking I believe our restrictions in the market effectively control such considerations. Just as our squad was suitable mainly to the 4-3-1-2 in the past seasons, so our eventual squad determines the direction we take and I feel that we don't have the freedom to choose our targets in such a manner that we can consciously move towards an idea yet. The players who present themselves to us on the market may very well be conducive to altering our system, however so many rumours have such little basis that it seems presumptuous to demand a particular idea. What it is possible to demand is that we target players who are flexible and energetic. With few arrivals, the changes we do make must maximise our ability to present different, competitive faces, by taking into account how they compliment the qualities of those already in Milan and the depth they provide to make each alternative sustainable and realistic.

With little investment beyond our search for a direct replacement for each departing player expected, I shall attempt to provide a realistic assessment but also an optimistic one.

As concerns Ibrahimovic's replacement, it seems easiest first to restate what I have mentioned possibly a dozen times on these forums. I care about only one thing when it comes to Tevez, that he doesn't play for my club. He lacks the youth, the loyalty, the financial sense and the good looks that this revolution needs to succeed and should not be considered for a moment.

As for an oft-quoted alternative in Dzeko, I still believe that he is a fine player who has been put into a situation that did not suit him at all, however here the issue of exercising what control we have over the overall destiny of our squad comes into play. How compatible is Dzeko with the rest of our forward options, how does he restrict our ability to play, our ability to both control and to react to different teams? My assessment in this regards is actually quite positive, however this then must be compared to what someone such as Destro, particularly in how much they'll cost. With few resources, how we manage this window will be paramount to the success of this project. Frankly, if we screw up again, we're just going to be waving goodbye to the next star we create in another three years.

Destro may be 'unproven' however he's technically able, has excellent movement and has the fearlessness and hunger for goal that drives a great forward. I don't expect an explosion, however I'm confident in Destro's ability to be a consistent threat, to continue to grow and to importantly help us to build a less laborious, more attractive style, something I would possibly fear for with the introduction of Dzeko in his stead. His mobility, youth and importantly his cost, both in terms of his transfer and his wages see me prefer Mattia as an option to replace Ibrahimovic, as does one final detail. He'd also be continuing our fine tradition of profiting from Inter's hard work of creating players. I've limited my discussion thus far only to the three forwards we've been linked to, if another alternative arises I may prefer them to Destro, however as it stands I'd be very optimistic heading into our future with him as an addition to our squad. Neither Destro or Dzeko can lay a hand on Ibrahimovic for quality, however they needn't do so. We're going to address this hole as a team, through others taking on more responsibility in attack, in midfield and even in defence.

The gap left by Thiago Silva has led to far more speculation as to his replacement. I've seen little of Dede so I shan't comment much on him, however given that several posters who I highly respect share such a high opinion of him as a talent makes me quite optimistic should he arrive. My preference, simply as I have seen him play, is Ogbonna, as I truly believe that we can reduce his transfer fee through the sacrifice of youth contracts that wouldn't be acceptable in deals with foreign clubs such as Porto or Schalke. I'll wait until we have a clearer picture of who we're closest to until I comment further, however as always, this is a team effort to replace Silva and we start defending from the front. Anything else shouldn't be tolerated as we move forward.

The problem, after all of this, is that our squad wasn't finished when we still had our star pair, with midfield particularly standing out. Montolivo has been an excellent acquisition and Constant will likely surprise a few people even if he won't be a star, however a key aspect of our ability to grow and start to assume a new face will be in creating a dynamic and enterprising midfield. One that can assume new shapes, survive at different tempos, defend vigorously and attack with creativity and verve. As it stands, our replacements haven't really given us greater flexibility, Monty aside, they've simply ensured that we fill a couple of holes and can sustain a full league campaign.

The two names I'd bring in? One is on everyone's lips, Verratti. 12 million euros is his publicly declared price and it's a very reasonable price for the future of Italian football. The second is Andrea Poli, someone everyone in this section knows I love to death, bar his inability to slide tackle. These two signings, in combination with the rest of our midfield, give us the technical, physical and tactical flexibility to expand our horizons. I envision that only one midfielder will actually arrive, however in my eyes it is imperative to make such moves whilst these players are available, otherwise they'll simply be more missed opportunities we lament in a year's time. As Ganso stated, we're saving a lot of money through the missing wages of Ibrahimovic and Thiago Silva and the permanent signings we make now are ones we don't need to make next year or in two or three because we've failed to cover holes in the squad.

This is an opportunity to complete the first true revolution since our last Champions League victory all those years ago. With wise choices, this is a fantastic deal for our club. If we lack the vision and the courage to take advantage of this moment, this spells European anonymity. As far as Serie A, the worst case scenario is 4th and that relies on an unlikely charge from Napoli. Realistically, Champions League qualification will continue to be the consistent reward for each season, however we deserve more and this team can achieve more and soon. Juventus overtook us with heart, with their blood, sweat and tears, not through extravagant marquee signings and a squad that could overwhelm us. That sort of depth is only arriving at their club now. Our challenge has to be built on the dedication and hard work of a hungry, new squad. No half measures, no short term solutions. We sign for the next decade and we sign to make our own champions.

Am I the only one who is willing to play a whole team of youngsters no older than 26 years old with loads of potential and give them the chance to develop and grow?

Gabriel
Abate Ely Acerbi De Sciglio
Cristante/Boateng Monty Nocerino/Constant
Pato Cassano El Sharaawy

The squad above has too much potential and with the loss of Ibra we need a forward that has a lot of experience and Cassano although old is the best fit to play as CF, he can play as false nine and drop back behind SES and Pato in a 4-3-1-2 system which is loved by Allegri!

The potential and work rate in this group of young individuals is huge, all is required are a few 'experienced' player such as Ambrosini and Abbiati present in the lineups with leadership abilities, the lose of natural leaders such as Gattuso, Seedorf, Inzaghi, Nesta and MVB is a blow since we lost leaders!

We should not despair, the misery upon is the passing of need, we knew early on that this season will be a changing point in the club's history, not even the departures of Kaka and Sheva can be compared to this moment, this is the moment where we know what Milan is really made from! A Dortmund like project is what I see in this squad, too much experience and quality has been lost, we must replace this with potential and quality!

I see Arsenal suffering from the same issue year in and year out and they still manage a top of the table finish with a relatively good CL campaign every year and although we lost far more quality and quantity we have far more potentially world beaters than Arsenal, the club has take a step in the right direction with signing many youngsters with loads of potential, all we need to nurture them at least half as good as Arsenal and we will have a good futurstic squad.

I would only approve of the sale of our best two players if we give youngsters chances, I wouldn't mind playing our whole youngsters against small teams to have them gain experience and substitute players when we are leading by two or more goals.

Given the developments concerning Verratti and others and recent comments made over Cassano and Robinho, it's probably a good time to post again and I'll address some of Potential's post as well. Larisano asked me what I felt we needed to do to be competitive within Serie A and it's an important question, because in a way, what we should do and what we should do to immediately compete with Juventus can be viewed as two separate issues.

One goes about catching Juventus in two ways. This isn't the side who pipped us to the title just recently anymore, it's a side with confirmation of their own ability, a side strengthened considerably by the captures of Isla, Asamoah, Giovinco and even more signings to come, a side that still has so much to prove and will have lost none of their drive to win and prove the world wrong. From here, it's only going to get harder, even as Juventus learn to deal once more as a team with the challenge of European competition. They have to play a balancing game that always favours those who chase them in the league, however our hopes can't be based upon a weaker Juventus.
They have to be built upon a stronger Milan. The first way is the old way and from many viewpoints, our way. Strengthen through an experienced core, bringing in those who have fought these battles before, who can give us the grit we need in Serie A to fight a war of attrition. It's what we know how to do best, build around a single star, attain short term victories that sustain our image and avoid revolution. A never ending conveyer belt of players who are just good enough, who know to do what they are told and play for a star.

The second way takes courage that our management lacks. If you ask me how do we fight for Serie A though, it's the only way. The battle with Juventus, Inter and the rest isn't about next season. It's about every season. The tables have turned in the league as the advantage we held over our opponents in terms of depth and belief has evaporated with the departures of Nesta, Silva, Ibra, Seedorf, Gattuso and many more. Our base, as it stands, is good enough to get us into the Champions League qualification spot next season.
Likely, we can do so with a degree of comfort, perhaps a game or two at the end of the season. How we elevate ourselves to fighting for the title in the market, is what remains key. The fact that we're never going to fall that far, gives us the flexibility to make courageous decisions and do things differently. It allows us to sacrifice a bit of experience for a bit of potential. It allows us to sacrifice a bit of security for a bit of risk. It allows us to take the time we need, to take the hits that are coming, to endure the pain in the knowledge that the reward doesn't take that long to come.

We can't bring in players who are ready made replacements for Ibrahimovic and Thiago Silva. We can't bring in players of their quailty and who are the leaders that they were to us. What we can do is bring in players with the drive and ability to replace them but importantly the ability to make us a stronger team, even without individuals of equal quality. We do not replace Ibra by conjuring a centre forward of magic and power from the dust for it starts at the other end of the pitch. We do so by being more solid and building better from the back, making our possession in midfield more purposeful, our play in the final third more incisive, our options in the box more dynamic and clinical. We don't replace Thiago Silva with a pillar of brute strength or a missile of unimaginable pace. Again, it is from the opposite end of the pitch. We don't tolerate the lazy, listless forward. We defend from the front, we press and bite in midfield and we give no quarter in defence. These aren't the characteristics of a single individual, these are the qualities of a team that works for each other, that is dedicated to a single cause and fights with a single-mindedness that consumes.

We currently have Pato, Cassano, Robinho and El Shaarawy available to us, a list that I believe will remain stable. Just as last season rumours of Cassano's departure arose without real justification in my opinion, I believe the same is happening again. I believe he'll stay and I believe we'll see his best season for Milan this year as he builds up his fitness again. Robinho is a fine player whose general play and work rate has always been a positive influence on our team, however he needs to begin taking his chances once more as he's shown he is capable of doing as in his first season. He'll never be clinical, however he does need to be a goal source who can provide 12-15 goals in the league given his considerable talent.

As it stands, one of Cassano and Robinho must be on the pitch at all times, until El Shaarawy develops as a more rounded player. One can obviously not expect of him the maturity and control over the play that these two forwards can display, particularly given that he is still breaking out, being moulded and finding his spot in the team, so in many ways our expectations for the Pharaoh this year must remain modest. What is required of him is the ability to become more involved in the play, to use his energy more efficiently. His desire and dedication has never once been an issue and he works hard on the pitch, however what shall be key to becoming an excellent player will be using this energy as wisely as possible. Complimenting this shall be expanding his play as he learns to fulfil more roles in our forward line and particularly through asking him to perform a deeper role, even if Allegri purposes for him to become a second striker. Experience learning how to link the midfield and attack will give him a greater appreciation of the game and importantly of his teammates which will help him become more potent as a creative threat.

It's a forward line that is one name short however and that forward's relationship with Pato will in many ways define how our team progresses. He's the golden boy and prince that the kingdom has come to doubt, as a leader absent from the battlefield and mocked by his rivals in far away courts it would seem. Why did we believe in Pato in the first place? His goal scoring record for someone so young is extraordinary, and it remains so even after two fairly disappointing seasons with injury. He’s the fifth youngest player to reach 50 Serie A goals, planting him amongst elite names and establishing the promise of an even greater return in the future. Where does his future lie though? As the right forward Leonardo made him? A second striker, a centre forward? Our plan for Pato determines in many ways the nature of the forward we want to bring in to complete our line.

We want a centre forward to replace Ibrahimovic and that to all of us spells a forward who will demand a starting place, who will equally seek to define us as a team. The lack of investment in our midfield however really does require that Cassano and Robinho be part of our forward line should no significant changes occur for the remainder of the window. Do we field three strikers? Do we send Pato to the bench? Does Pato shoulder the new burden of our forward line? We gain flexibility without security through a purchase such as Destro, even then, a move that seems to be slipping away by the second. We gain flexibility with security through Tevez, however it violates too many other conditions for our revolution.

The issue of balance, both on the pitch and in the market brings about to a degree the appeal of a solution such as Potential's, which is in a way the extreme of the call for a younger, fresher Milan. Some of the issues at hand are the greater strain that we might put on our side's depth by affecting dramatic changes without sufficient investments to afford us to take on such a tactically ambitious project. We have a varied forward line, however transitioning towards a 4-3-3 dramatically alters the role of our depth players, suddenly putting a heavy burden of rotation and on the pitch responsibility onto a forward line which has had its injury concerns and importantly also a midfield which may not be physically up to the challenge over a season. The presence of youngsters in such a plan must also be carefully weighted. Giving every opportunity to prove oneself and to blood youngsters must be separated from expecting them to carry the demands of a heavy workload that we have seen can have heavy consequences for future fitness. Overuse at a young age is a serious concern as they develop physically and if we invest in such an idea, our youngsters need to be the support for midfielders still to arrive, not to take their place in the reshaping of our midfield.

Moving back towards specific personnel, Verratti has left for Paris, invalidating his selection in many of our plans and his was a name without an obvious alternative. Poli would seem to be on his way to Napoli, however it is possible that he is resisting signing a contract in the hope that Milan or Juventus step in. Who are the names that could really give us the flexibility to play a more open style, whether it be a return to the days of Leonardo or Ancelotti or putting a new spin on the 4-3-1-2 which is unfairly characterised at times as a static system? Many that we've personally wished for in these days have moved during this window already or our interest in them has seemingly dissipated. Isla and Verratti have been lost, our interest in Strootman and Witsel has vanished from the paper mill. Names that I love such as Sven Bender are never going to cross the mind of our management.

If we make this project simply about Ibrahimovic and Thiago Silva, this window is a missed opportunity. It's sadly looking like this will be the case. I shan't commit to a formation or idea, I'll simply update my wishes as an overall squad and the holes that I see missing.

Goalkeeping
Options
Abbiati, Amelia, Gabriel.
Whilst there has been talk of replacing Abbiati, he's a senior member, likely our starting captain next season unless Ambrosini plays an unusually high number of games and is a very fine keeper who still has a couple of years of loyal service left. An alternative would be nice, however it restricts our ability to move in the market if we take up non-EU spots or spend considerable cash on another goalkeeper. I don't believe our options should change before the start of the season.

Defence
Options
RB: Abate, De Sciglio, Bonera.
CB: Acerbi, Mexes, Yepes, Bonera. Primavera: Ely
LB: Didac, Antonini. (Taiwo and Mesbah to be sold.)

Whilst the talk from our management would make our left back position seem quite insecure, there is no need in my mind to pursue another fullback. Whilst Didac may not live up to expectations, Antonini is a solid back-up, De Sciglio and Bonera potential cover and Emanuelson a final option. Whislt none yet stand out, it is a weakness we can cover tactically and our options are by no means worse than in previous seasons. Given that the only potential arrival would seem to be Kolarov, I want no movement in this department.

The priority in defence remains Thiago Silva's replacement. Rolando and Tasci seem to be the names that are being discussed as of late, with Rolando apparently the subject of a bid, however I'm opposed to the arrival of either. Ogbonna remains my wish, with the likes of Mesbah and others being shipped off to Torino to win their favour, even if we must accept that a considerable amount of cash must also be parted with. It is no more than is being asked of any of our other options after these deadweight contracts are passed on in any case. As before, Dede sounds like a good opportunity if we can grasp it, however this seems highly unlikely.

Midfield
Options
Montolivo, Ambrosini, Traore, Nocerino, Flamini, Boateng, Constant, Emanuelson, Muntari, Strasser

A long list it would seem, however the final two names are out for six and three months respectively, Urby is restricted in his ability to be used as a central midfielder, though I do believe he can be effective if used only when it is appropriate. Boateng's ability to function deeper is limited by his tactical discipline, his temperament and also by my concern that the position does not truly play to his actual strengths, rather than those supposed of a midfielder known for their energetic approach. As it stands, Boateng is fine where he is, if not ideal. Constant can be a surprise but not a star, Nocerino is dependable however certain systems will expose him and his recent success is largely attributable to his astute use by Allegri, Flamini tries to do what Nocerino does successfully but isn't as clinical and Traore is an unwanted and unknown quantity.

If it seems like a pessimistic appraisal and it is, for whilst depth remains, it is a restrictive type of depth that bottlenecks us into what is safe and manageable. It provides stability that encourages a stagnant team rather than a stability which can be used as a foundation for growth. It's a remodelled version of our midfield for the past 18 months, not the rebirth of the middle of the park. We can't afford to branch out in one window, nor is that ideal for gradual changes are needed in order to remain not only pragmatic in terms of our expectations but also achieving the results that will give our coach the time he needs. My ideal alternatives to add some more life to the midfield and provide the type of players who are lacking would see the arrivals of Poli and Bender, with Hernanes another pipe dream of this section a welcome surprise, however realistically we can expect to be disappointed. Talk of Lassana Diarra refuses to go away, despite his prohibitive price tag and also the belief that he doesn't want to arrive in Milan. Until more talk arrives, I'll hold my tongue is this area to assess each individual who remains realistic, rather than spitting out names.

Attack
Options
Cassano, Robinho, Pato, El Shaarawy. Primavera: Comi.

I have included Comi for what he provides us that the squad lacks since the departures of Maxi Lopez and Inzaghi, a true centre forward who is compatible with the rest of our squad and also in recognition of his fine work for the past season in our youth team. With the arrival of Ibrahimovic's replacement, we will have a stable forward line, however at some point we will be short of an option and I believe Comi should be used as appropriate and trusted.

We need four arrivals to provide a challenge with Juventus next season for the title that will remain dependent upon the effects of their European campaign and the form of both sides. We need much more to be sustainable; however the nature of these arrivals will determine just what sort of path we are taking in their pursuit. As it stands, I expect three arrivals and possibly a fourth as a youthful surprise package.

If worst comes to worst, we're settled to build around a stable, defensive approach and grind out results in Serie A. Europe is a far different beast that we need to start building to from the start, not later however. One final observation: this post is way too long, sorry about that.

I don't think Berlusconi can invest most of the money since he doesn't have the liquidity to cover operating losses if the club loses revenue next season (likely). He needs to keep working capital to cover any cash requirements for at least 12 months and probably 24 months. I would assume a maximum of 15-20 mil to be reinvested.

Who can you get with that kind of money? Well a CB is a necessity. Dede is top target obviously... but there's also Yanga M'Biwa and Isimat-Mirin in France. I think both are actually much better than Dede.... but that's just me. They're cost in the 10-12 mil range.

As far as CMs go, it's thin out there. Here's a crazy thought: Would Milan consider giving Gourcuff another shot? He's definitely available since Lyon is trying to shed wages. The transfer could be made for 10-12 mil as well. He's still only 26.

A high quality CB and striker would need to be signed before going for a CM

get afellay dzeko and if possible papadopoulos... we are set

ibra had 3 yrs left with us?

if that is the case, we wouldve saved 54M on ts and ibra's wages over 3 yrs, as well as 65 ish transfer fees, if we were operating borderline with them, this should definitely open up some opportunities, as the financial pressure is obviously smaller and the pressure from fans is increasing dramatically.

obviously we wont invest most of the money saved, but i think ~30M in total is not a dream

this is a response to sportscy btw

tonger wrote:ibra had 3 yrs left with us?

if that is the case, we wouldve saved 54M on ts and ibra's wages over 3 yrs, as well as 65 ish transfer fees, if we were operating borderline with them, this should definitely open up some opportunities, as the financial pressure is obviously smaller and the pressure from fans is increasing dramatically.

obviously we wont invest most of the money saved, but i think ~30M in total is not a dream

this is a response to sportscy btw

Total, i agree. But what's the split between wages and transfer fee? I think you guys make one semi-big signing like Dzeko. The rest will be prospects.

We will definitely not be doing that with the money.

Real Kandahar wrote:

Abbiati
Abate - Mexes - Carvalho/Albiol - Didac
Lass
Nocerino - Gago
Kaka
Pato - Destro

Ac real rejects basically lol. u can have give us those players as long as u take Muntari and Mesbah.