Milan technical director Geoffrey Moncada confirms Matteo Gabbia ‘will be with us from tomorrow’ and the club is ‘working in secret’ on other defensive reinforcements.
They are in action this evening in the Coppa Italia Round of 16 against Cagliari.
It kicks off at San Siro at 20.00 GMT.
You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens on the LIVEBLOG.
The January transfer window has already opened and some moves are in full swing, as it is confirmed that Gabbia will return to base early from his season-long loan at Villarreal to fill the gaps left by serious injuries to Fikayo Tomori and Malick Thiaw.
“We needed a good defender, so Gabbia is very important for us. He is a solid player, a hard worker and from tomorrow he will be with us,” Moncada told Mediaset.
That is probably not the only new centre-back who will be joining the Rossoneri, as Stefano Pioli currently has only one fit senior player in that role, Simon Kjaer.
“We need defenders considering the injuries, so will evaluate all the opportunities. I cannot name names, we have to work in secret, evaluate every situation and then understand who we could get.”
Milan plans are hampered by the removal of the Growth Decree, the tax incentive that allowed Italian clubs to save up to 50 per cent on taxes for the salaries of players signed from abroad.
“We must work to bring the right players to Milan, regardless of the Growth Decree, so that is not a problem,” concluded Moncada.