We should get another CB, but first, we must sell players like zaccardo, nocerino, and muntari.

El Shaarawy wrote:

Forza wrote:Are you guys crazy? If we were able to get Fernando, I would take him immediately. At the moment, we have a midfield which consists of De Jong and Montolivo as definite starters and then one other player. That one other player is either Poli or Muntari at the moment, and both of them if Montolivo is injured. Fernando, despite being a DM, is an improvement on both of them. And for 3m, he's a steal. The other big consideration for me is that if De Jong were to get injured, we would be monumentally screwed. It would plunge us into a relegation battle and make our current situation look like a relative paradise. And, yes, I want Jorginho too - this is an ambitious club, not a Serie D team.

I disagree on the premise that we will get screwed once NDJ is injured, Montolivo can fill in his position. Muntari also can, if both are out or if its an emergency. Montolivo exemplified his ability to play in fornt of the defense last year when NDJ got injured. Just like M99 said, we have more pressing matters in the squad than a DM. We can get better, younger and cheaper than Fernando if we know where to look. I don't like the sound of 3m a year for someone who has competition in his position.

Montolivo and NDJ are totally incomparable. Yes, Monty can play in the DLP position, but he does not have anywhere near the defensive quality of NDJ. In addition, Monty is out of form, whilst NDJ has been our best and most consistent player throughout the season. If Monty plays DLP, that necessitates another DM coming into the team, and I do not want to see Muntari any more than I have to. Of course we have more pressing matters, but it's not as if 3mil is a price so significant that we would miss out on another player. Are there better, younger and cheaper players who are comparable to Fernando? I highly doubt it.

We haven't had a Best player this season and I don't know how people can claim NDJ has been our best...He hasn't done better than Montolivo did last season from that position and in my opinion our mid got worse since his return from injury I don't know if it is him or everyone else just suddenly became shit but I wouldn't call him our best of the season as he hasn't done anything of note other than put in some decent tackles and spread play decently.

Montolivo may not have the defensive quality of NDJ, but he still has the brains to play in that position. I just don't feel it as an urgent matter, considering we have other problems in the squad. I'm fine with this signing, if it would be done after curing some of the ailments on our team sheet, mind. But i just can't see us going after similar players, some fodder here and there and Fernando is the "summer signing" like with Aquaman.

Speaking of DM's according to @Milanello we're linked with a loan move with Essien

Essien is old and past it. Another band-aid solution. Promote youth ffs.

@nichabr: NDJ has IMO been our best this season, but I'd be interested in knowing who your nomination for MVP so far would be?

The only blatant error that i recall NDJ doing was that he couldn't reach the ball when we conceded against Lazio, and even that wasn't completely his fault. He has been so great this season, not to mention his consistency.

But i think i understand where Nichabr is coming from...

Last year we had a horrible start to the season and NDJ was fit and starting.

He gets injured in December, and Montolivo starts in his position

We start picking form in January and go on in to an amazing 2nd part of the season

Is that the correlation you were hinting at Nichabr

In the 1st half of last season, it's important to remember that NDJ wasn't even starting every game. I thought that once he was starting he generally played well and even scored some clutch goals for us when we were doing poorly. I think the blame mainly lies elsewhere.

Forza wrote:In the 1st half of last season, it's important to remember that NDJ wasn't even starting every game. I thought that once he was starting he generally played well and even scored some clutch goals for us when we were doing poorly. I think the blame mainly lies elsewhere.

Agreed. For the record, i'm not a fan of this correlation. We have Balo to thank for in the 2nd half of the season as well as Mexespata raising their game with a full month of not conceding goals. Not to mention beast form Montolivo.

Forza wrote:Essien is old and past it. Another band-aid solution. Promote youth ffs.

@nichabr: NDJ has IMO been our best this season, but I'd be interested in knowing who your nomination for MVP so far would be?

I wouldn't single any of our players out as being our best this season because none are clearly ahead of the others. I mean they have all been ridiculously poor and to name one of them who has been the least poor is not something I am going to do.

I agree with the sentiments that 3 million is far too high a wage to offer a player, even a free agent, who would neither definitely command a starting birth nor address a key weakness in the side. Whilst quality in depth is always welcome, it is not something we can afford whilst there are holes in our starting eleven.

We do require a third player who can capably anchor the side however. De Jong and Montolivo bring different qualities to the role, however both are extremely adept through the centre. Our struggles this season can not simply be attributed to these two players, though De Jong's return has altered the dynamic of the midfield - it must be remembered that Ambrosini featured through the centre as well without affecting Montolivo's influence on the team. Our midfield should not be treated in isolation to the rest of the team. We have set our midfielders up to fail creatively this season by our failures in attack.

A midfield can't succeed without an attack that provides width, movement and quality on the ball. If you want our midfield to return to the form of last year, you have to play to the strengths of the personnel that we have, as we did then. With El Shaarawy injured and an adequate RW never found during the summer, it wouldn't much matter if we had Xavi and Iniesta in the centre at the moment. Quality reinforcements are still needed in the centre, and it is right that we are looking at a player such as Fernando, but they have to be made with reference to our overall gameplan. If not, all we're accumulating are new scapegoats.

Essien, pls no.

According to Sky Sports Italia, Fiorentina have put in a 7 million bid for Jorginho

AC Milan striker Alessandro Matri looks set to make an exit from the San Siro side.

Matri, 29, only rejoined the Rossoneri in the summer but has failed to impress Massimiliano Allegri as he would have hoped and has only managed a solitary goal in his eighteen games in all competitions and Milan are seemingly desperate to bid him farewell.

According to TuttoMercatoWeb, the player is now believed to be available on the market, however the issue will be what kind of loss Milan would be prepared to take on their €12 million outlay during the summer as no side has shown any prospect of meeting that figure.

The five time Italy international has put in a number of poor performances for the Rossoneri this season as it seems that his confidence has all but evaporated and he has been getting a lot of stick from the Milan faithful during matches.

Il Milan nel pomeriggio ha ultimato un doppio colpo in uscita. Secondo Sky, è stato definito nelle ultime ore l'accordo con la Reggina per una doppia cessione in prestito. Per la seconda parte di stagione vestiranno la casacca del club di Serie B il portiere Gabriel e il difensore Jherson Vergara.

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Translation: Gabriel and Vergara to be loaned to Reggina.

This is from Tuttomercatoweb.

Sulla strada del Milan ora spunta il jolly Michael Essien, il mastino del Chelsea, ai margini del progetto Mourinho e in uscita dai Blues in questa finestra di mercato. Una trama che può avere un seguito per una serie di ragioni che convergono: dalle esigenze dei due club a quelle del giocatore, che spera di poter tornare a giocare con continuità.

la trattativa — Il Milan, infatti, cerca un profilo d’esperienza internazionale che possa essere utile a centrocampo, soprattutto in prospettiva degli ottavi di Champions contro l’Atletico Madrid. Un appuntamento reso ancora più insidioso dal fatto che la mediana non avrà sia Muntari che Montolivo, entrambi squalificati (il capitano per tutte e due le sfide). Galliani, dunque, sondate le opportunità del mercato, ha individuato il ghanese con passaporto francese (condizione essenziale, questa) come uno dei profili giusti per governare l’emergenza-centrocampo. L’obiettivo è chiederlo in prestito fino a giugno. A favore dell’operazione gioca il fatto che il 31enne centrocampista, dopo un colloquio con Mourinho, ha maturato la decisione di lasciare il Chelsea (il contratto scadrà nel 2015) e, particolare decisivo, la circostanza che è rimasto fuori dalla lista Champions del Chelsea. Potrebbe dunque giocare in Europa col Milan.

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From La Gazetta Dello Sport.

Translation: Milan interested in Michael Essien.

Reports from Italy claim AC Milan 'keeper Gabriel is leaving on loan, potentially paving the way for Arsenal loanee Emiliano Viviano to take his place.

Last weekend, reports circulated linking Arsenal goalkeeper Emiliano Viviano with a return to Italy.

The player, currently on-loan from Serie B side Palermo, has not had the best of times since a summer switch that was somewhat overshadowed by the arrival of Mesut Ozil and the return of Mathieu Flamini.

He has made the Gunners' bench on just four occasions, and in his single appearance for the under-21s he conceded five goals against Sunderland.

Given that record, it is no surprise he was linked with the Emirates exit, with AC Milan reportedly keen to bring him to the San Siro as cover for Christian Abbiati.

And now that move looks like it has taken another step forward, with reports this evening claiming Milan have allowed reserve goalkeeper Gabriel to join Reggina on loan.

Gabriel has started seven league games for the club this season, and has been on the bench on six occasions.

With fellow ‘keeper Marco Amelia having just returned from a knee operation, perhaps Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri believes he has enough cover in that position. But after such serious surgery, and with Abbiati suffering muscular problems earlier in the campaign, another option between the posts may still be required.

If Viviano is to be that man, he will hope the move goes better than his four months to date in North London.

Galliani hints that if a mdifielder would arrive in January (Considering that Montolivo and Muntari are suspended), then he would be available for the CL.

So i guess Fernando is out since he's cup tied

Fiorentina have now become the latest club to be paired with AC Milan striker Alessandro Matri.

The Viola are in the midst of somewhat of a striker crisis with Giuseppe Rossi out for three months, while the already injured Mario Gomez doesn’t look likely to return until February at the earliest.

As a result, La Gazzetta dello Sport are reporting that the Viola could make a move for Matri, who has reportedly been deemed surplus to requirements at Milan.

However, Matri has been paired with a loan move to Sampdoria and should that move materialise, Fiorentina have earmarked Atalanta’s Marko Livjaja as a second option.

AC Milan goalkeeper Marco Amelia has confirmed he has asked for a move away from the club.

The 31-year-old has featured just once in the Champions League for the struggling San Siro outfit this season, slipping behind Christian Abbiati and Gabriel in the pecking order under Massimiliano Allegri.

And his continued omission appears to have driven Amelia to the exit door after he revealed on Twitter that he had spoken to club CEO Adriano Galliani about securing a transfer from the Rossoneri.

He posted: "I asked to Mr. Galliani to let me go away, with great regret, but after the last few months is the best solution for everybody!"

Di Marzio: Jorginho the favourite to join Napoli.

AC Milan's interest in Hellas Verona defender Romulo has been confirmed.

Napoli are also being linked with Romulo this month.

“Where will he end up? I cannot answer with certainty, I know that Fiorentina want to argue with me about the future of Romulo,” Alex Rodrigo Firmino has told calcionews24.

“But I can say that there are two other big teams like that of Milan who have contacted me last week. So I am not surprised in the interest from the Rossoneri.

“At this time, however, I prefer not to name names. We are very pleased with the fact that a great team [like Milan] has approached us, it is confirmation that we have done a great job.

“Romulo is worth so much because he is a great professional as well as a great person. He is more than ready [for a team like Milan], just look at his past.

“In Brazil he always faced challenges and he played well every time he has come up against great teams. When he played in the Paulista championship against the Santos side of Neymar and Robinho, he was the star of that game.

“The same can be said when he was in Florence - he has provided excellent displays against Juventus, Inter and Milan. Also this season with Verona, for me he has always done very well against big teams, like Inter, Milan, Juventus, Roma, Lazio and Fiorentina.”

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I would not mind having him.

AC Milan are lining up a potential loan move for Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien during the January transfer window.

Essien, 31, has rarely featured for the Blues this season and is seen as a good fit by Milanese officials to bolster their options in the middle of the park.

A report in Gazzetta dello Sport reveals that the main reasons for the Rossoneri wanting the move is his eligibility for the Champions League games against Atletico Madrid and the wealth of experience he can bring to the squad.

The Ghana international has made only four league appearances this season and he is hoping to secure more game time as he strives to be a part of Ghana’s World Cup campaign in Brazil this summer.

If no deal can be reached, Milan have a plan B in the shape of Porto midfielder Fernando who is also set for an exit from his club.

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Essien Plan A and Fernando Plan B because of CL eligibility. Again we are looking for short term solutions. Wtf happened to the youth movement?

West Bromwich Albion have emerged as surprise candidates to take AC Milan striker Alessandro Matri on loan until the end of the season.

The 29-year-old has also been linked with Fiorentina and Sampdoria in the January transfer window, but it is the English side who have made the first move to take the striker off Milan’s hands.

According to Sky Sport Italia, Milan have received an official written offer from West Brom to take the striker on loan for the rest of the season, with an option to buy at the end of the current campaign.

Matri, who joined from Juventus in the summer for €12 million, has struggled for goals this season, with only a solitary goal in 18 appearances so far.

Arsenal are monitoring the form of Genoa’s right back Sime Vrsaljko with a view of making an official move in the summer.

The Gunners have joined Juventus and AC Milan in the race for the Croatian starlet, who has been in superb form for the Grifone since making a summer move from Dinamo Zagreb.

Mediaset Premium have reported that Arsene Wenger has sent scouts to the Marassi to report on the progress of Vrsaljko on a number of occasions this season already, and will continue to do so until the end of the season.

AC Milan chief executive Adriano Galliani has confirmed that no discussions have begun to bring Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien to the San Siro.

With the January transfer window now open, speculation is mounting over a potential loan move for the Chelsea man.

Essien has made just two Premier League starts for the Blues this term, adding weight to Milan's chances of securing the suggested six-month deal for the player.

However, Galliani insists the Rossoneri are yet to open talks with Essien or Chelsea over a potential switch, but admits if a midfielder did come in they would be in contention for Champions League action.

"In these days there are a lot of contracts, but there is not a negotiation open with Essien," Galliani stated at a press conference on Friday.

"AC Milan's appeal is very strong and there are many agents offering their players.

"But it is not yet certain that we'll take another midfielder, but having Muntari and Montolivo banned in the Champions League (against Atletico Madrid) it is clear that if a new player will come he should be able to play in the Champions League."

Although Galliani remains coy on a move for Essien, the AC Milan CEO admits a striker is available to leave, taking into account the abundance of attacking options at the San Siro.

"We have nine attackers, even with [Alessandro] Matri away, there are too many," he added.

"It is possible that one of them can leave."

Long-time Everton target Fernando is ready to sign a pre-contract agreement with AC Milan to join them next summer.

Everton manager Roberto Martinez attended a work permit hearing for the £15million Porto midfielder on transfer deadline day last summer but was unable to complete a deal due to the delay in Manchester United agreeing a fee for Marouane Fellaini.