Milan director Ricky Massara warned Sven Botman is unlikely to leave Lille in the January window and the Rossoneri won’t go for a striker either, but Andrea Conti is heading to Sampdoria.
Their game with Venezia kicks off at 11.30 GMT, you can follow the build-up and action as it happens on the LIVEBLOG.
The squad is down to the bare bones after injuries, COVID and Africa Cup of Nations duty, but Conti is nonetheless heading to Sampdoria.
“This transfer could be completed tomorrow,” confirmed Massara to Sky Sport Italia.
The director of sport was asked specifically about Lille defender Botman, whose asking price is over €40m and is also targeted by Newcastle United, but had bad news for fans expecting the Netherlands international.
“The role of a centre-back is our priority after Kjaer’s injury. In a period like this with so many absentees also due to COVID, we will certainly be ready if we can find a sustainable option on the market.
“Botman is a very good player, but I don’t think Lille want to deprive themselves of him at the moment. There are many options to be considered.
“There are possibilities to be evaluated, as it’s a very uncertain time for clubs, especially with the stadiums closing back down, so we need to think very carefully.”
Will Milan go for a new striker in the window, seeing as Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Olivier Giroud are of a certain age?
“We need to monitor that role and others for the future, but I don’t think so for the moment. We have a young player in Pietro Pellegri, who has been stalled by injuries, but we believe in him. I don’t think we’ll go for a forward in the January window.”
Paolo Maldini said that Milan are in talks with Rafael Leao to extend his contract and Massara confirmed the Portuguese striker, who starts today, is a focal point going forward.
“He is a pure talent with great talent and has matured a great deal in recent months, finding a consistency he didn’t have before, but the future is luminous for him. We are working with his agent on a contract renewal, just as we are trying to stabilise and build on players who bring a great deal to this team, and Leao is one of them.”
Milan have refused to break the budget in contract renegotiation talks with Gianluigi Donnarumma, Hakan Calhanoglu and now Franck Kessie, ready to lose players as free agents rather than accept a form of blackmail from agents.
“The club always comes first and a club like Milan goes beyond everyone. We are privileged to work for Milan. We don’t want to lecture anyone, but the idea is to be competitive and sustainable, something that is necessary in this day and age, respecting the promises made.”
We need a replacement/alternative for Diaz in that central area. Regrettably the kid has looked completely out of his depth since returning from covid.
I agree with you @ Rosario. We need a replacement in that department but I don’t believe there will be any because clearly, Paolo Maldini wants his son to play and a new arrival in that position will push his son back down.
Secondly it’s completely wasteful to Lose Frank Kessie also as a free agents. Sometimes I think Italian directors are not smart enough! These same agents deals with English teams too. Give Frank Kessie whatever he asks and have him sign a new contract to avoid loosing him for free and put him up for sale right after and that will be a better message! Come sense! They could have done that with Donnarumma and Hakan too!
English clubs do this all the time and it works for them instead of being stubborn and losing your best players each year for free🤨🙄