Mercato Rossonero: Milan Transfer Activity Inside Out

By the way, many of our problems stem in midfield and getting SMS would solve these problems. He is a flexible player and isn't restricted to one position in midfield.

And Samu Castillejo plays essentially the same position as Suso, so there is your deputy. As far as Hakan, that can wait until the winter. Hakan seems to be very fit.

Our biggest hole is the one SMS would fill, so this is a no brainer for me.

I guess I did misspeak regarding Samu. He is more a LW, and Suso a RW. We still need a midfielder like SMS more than anything else.

Jose Mauri is going to be released from what I'm hearing. Leonardo is targeting quality over quantity.

GiancarloC wrote:I guess I did misspeak regarding Samu. He is more a LW, and Suso a RW. We still need a midfielder like SMS more than anything else.

Jose Mauri is going to be released from what I'm hearing. Leonardo is targeting quality over quantity.

No, you were spot-on earlier. He's a left-footed RW i.e. a second Suso.


I think by putting the pieces together, we can read Gattuso's (or Leo's) motives and moves. If Castillejo arrives, then it's certain that Promes or Martial won't. Now, who will be vice-Hakan? Yes, Bonaventura!

The next inevitable Question: who's taking Jack's place in midfield? Obviously, the midfielder Leonardo is working on. Either Rabiot, or, my my, Milinkovic Savic.

It's not terrible, come to think of it. But I would definitely appreciate more attacking players. We are, as we speak, badly short up front numerically.

Oh I guess I wasn't wrong.

But I think we are good upfront with Castillejo coming.

Rumors is we arenpw negotiating for him with Bacca as part of the equation, according to Sky.

There are only 4 days to the end of the Mercato. Question is will it be enough to finalise a complex deal like that of SMS with a difficult to deal with Lotito?

I think they have been already working on it for several days.

Does anybody else here think this whole "loan with OBLIGATION to buy" some sort of Galliani-esque fiasco? I mean, what is so different in this from an amortized paying method?

Like, Locatelli was taken on loan for 2m, with 12m to be paid next year to buy him outright. So, isn't this basically the same as "Locatelli was sold for 14m, with the fee agreed to be paid over two installments by the end of next season?"

I think Galliani would've loved this if he hadn't left. He was obsessed with complex payment formulae and, truth be told, the best at it. Ibra for 24m, only ONE year after his 85m move, remains to this day the most phenomenal deal of all time.

There's no doubting the deal being in the works for a while now. My doubt rather stems from the fact no agreement has been reached yet with so little time left for the close of the window and Lotito hasn't even found a replacement for him like he normally does before selling his star players

Some terrible deals, Castilljeo and Bakayoko. One is RW and the other is brain dead hustler that cant trap a ball.

Higuain won't hit past 12 this season

Kaladin wrote:Some terrible deals, Castilljeo and Bakayoko. One is RW and the other is brain dead hustler that cant trap a ball.

Higuain won't hit past 12 this season

We're not counting on either one to be the regular difference-maker. Like I said, a team is as good as its bench, and Bakayoko and Castillejo could potentially be perfect substitutes for Suso and Kessie.

Obviously I too prefer somebody good enough to earn a place in the XI and send a starter to bench, but there's always that ghoul FFP lurking in the shadows waiting to pounce on us during this "probation period."

UPDATE: Castillejo to Milan is done dealio.

https://www.milannews.it/calciomercato-milan/sky-milan-fatta-per-castillejo-18-milioni-di-prestito-con-obbligo-di-riscatto-piu-bacca-304729

I don't know just how good this dude is. He has 10 goals and 18 assists in 125 games in La Liga. Pathetic figures, if I'm being honest. But then again, he's young and it is said that Diego Simeone is one of his huge fans. The positive thing is we're giving them the 32-year-old Bacca as makeweight.

Above all, however, I trust Leonardo and l'eterno Capitano's judgement. So, OK. Let's see how it goes.

Told you. He is good. He is young and had a better prior season. Loans with option to buy is done for FFP reasons. Its often obligations. We aren't the only ones doing loans with option to buy.

Personally I like Castillejo, but I am also of Spanish background so perhaps in biased. He will give us more options up front.

Btw Kessie was done on a two year loan with option to buy if I recall correctly. It is purely for FFP reasons. Inter, Roma and Juventus do the same.

As far as Lotito finding a replacement, we may send one of Bonaventura or Biglia to help a deal happen.

Seems to me like we have to keep Montolivo. No other replacement for Biglia as Kessie and Bakayoko are more muscles than brain. Unlike 99% of people, I actually rather like Montolivo. He's a quiet professional, been maximally unlucky with injuries, but when he played, he always did a job. Never brilliant, never terrible.

With Milinkovic-Savic in our line-up, we'll have an almost perfect midfield, a combination of stamina, discipline, and quality.

Castillejo is also here, so that's one less worry as he can deputize both our starting wingers, even if I'm sure we'd all appreciate another LW/AM like Draxler, but I don't think we'll have a penny left to get them.
The Rabiot deal, in particular, is just goddamn UNMISSABLE, especially if we can actually get rid of Mauri and one of Bertolacci or Montolivo as well. We'll live to regret missing out on such a steal; and big time.

Bertolacci is staying. I don't want Montolivo anywhere near this new team. Mauri and Montolivo are the next ones to be cut from what I have read.

SMS + Rabiot for me... But I fear we are quickly running out of time. Sky said our mercato for arrivals is closed, but they have never been a good source.

As a club owned by the most notorious, ruthless vulture fund in the world, we haven't been nearly vulture-like enough during the transfer window. I mean, there's a lot of critical situations we can take advantage of, but we haven't yet.

For instance, I suppose everyone can feel the looming implosion of Man United in the coming months, and everyone knows about how effed up the relationship between Mourinho and Pogba is, but we haven't pounced...

I mean, think about it. Milinkovic-Savic for 120m is too much in the same way Belotti for 100m was last season. Plus, these two are the darlings of their respective club owners, but there was a host of fully attainable players we didn't chase after.

A case in point is Pogba. I suppose he, along with Martial, were easily available for, like, 80% of their real prices. I've never been a fan of either one, but for a team that doesn't have too many quality players, at least in their roles (CM/AM and LW/SS), we could certainly have done more.

Let me repeat: I feel like we're gonna look back at this window with a great deal of regret.

I think we have made several ruthless moves including for Caldara and Higuain. We also cut many useless players from the squad and aren't done yet.

I'm hearing we haven't received payment for Lapadula and may target Diego Laxalt (lb/lm) with cash.

There was also a rumor of trading Ricardo Rodriguez and cash for Adrian Rabiot.

If these are done, great moves. Especially Laxalt.

https://m.milannews.it/primo-piano/pedulla-milan-laxalt-pista-confermata-ottimi-rapporti-con-il-genoa-ed-il-riscatto-di-lapadula-304820

Genius. Pedulla has confirmed it.

This is ruthless.

GiancarloC wrote:I'm hearing we haven't received payment for Lapadula and may target Diego Laxalt (lb/lm) with cash.

There was also a rumor of trading Ricardo Rodriguez and cash for Adrian Rabiot.

If these are done, great moves. Especially Laxalt.

So, Leo's plan is to do another Abate, like he did as head-coach in 2009? Turn Laxalt, a LWB/LM/LW, into our LB and get to Rabiot through Ricardo Rodriguez?

If he can actually pull it off by spending ZERO Euro, it'll be regarded as one of those genius masterstrokes for the ages. We'll be the talk of town.

The only concern involves Laxalt's defensive prowess which is below-average, unlike the Azpilicueta-esque Rodriguez who can and has played as LCB in a three-man defense.

Meanwhile, what's up with the club's obsession with all the left-footed dudes? Halilovic, Castillejo, Rabiot, Laxalt...

Laxalt had an impressive world cup and was steady in the world cup. I believe he did play in a four man defense. Laxalt has played as an offense leftback before. Anyways it appears we have beaten Zenit to his signing. Strinic was also good in the world cup, but is more defensive.

http://app.football-italia.net/?referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.football-italia.net%2FSerieA%2Fmatch%2F106743#article/footballitalia-126187&menu=news-all

It looks to be nearing completion. I'm not concerned with what feet he plays with. He is one impressive and well developed player.

The deal could be for 15 million. Genoa still owe us 11 million for Lapadula. Lapadula+cash.

Ricardo Rodriguez has not had a good season for us. If we can use him to land Rabiot it would be great.

Both Laxalt and Castillejo should have their medicals tomorrow. Great deals really. All reports say we are still in for a midfielder and striker/attacking player. I don't know if we will land both SMS and Rabiot though... That could be a stretch.

Oh and don't believe anything on Sky Sport. They said our transfer market was closed yesterday morning lol.

Another season down the drain

Wow. Why? These are much better transfers than what we had last summer. And one of either Rabiot or Savic could come. Laxalt is a great player and really had a strong world cup.