At 36, Olivier Giroud still retains the confidence of the leaders of AC Milan, who have not broken the bank for a scorer this summer. They preferred to strengthen their offensive sector with 3 versatile attackers.
One year from Euro 2024, and while he is still essential within the French team of Didier Deschamps – even at 36 years old -, Olivier Giroud can feel relieved. AC Milan once thought about signing a new striker this summer. Loïs Openda, Jonathan David and Folarin Balogun have been targeted in Ligue 1, but the Milan leaders have decided not to break the bank on a single player.
If the departure of Sandro Tonali for Newcastle was negotiated at 70 million euros plus 10 in bonus (a record for an Italian player!), the Rossoneri achieved a quality summer transfer window by betting on quantity. Thus, Ruben Loftus-Cheek (€16m) and Tijjani Reijnders (€14m) strengthened the midfield, and, in the attacking sector, Christian Pulisic (€22m), Noah Okafor (€14m) and finally Samuel Chukwueze (€20m) were recruited in turn.
A winger as a backup for Giroud
The Rossoneri attack will no longer be driven solely by Portuguese star Rafael Leao. Pulisic can play number 10 and on the wings (to feed a Giroud he knows very well from Chelsea), Chukwueze is a productive right winger (13 goals and 11 assists last year with Villarreal) and Okafor is a formation which evolved at the forefront last season with Salzburg (10 goals in 32 matches).
In short, as the Lombard press indicates, Stefano Pioli is still counting on Olivier Giroud as centravanti holder, as the perfect teammate he has always been, with an Okafor considered for the moment as a new understudy. After gala matches against Real Madrid (3-2 defeat) and Juventus (2-2, loss on penalties), AC Milan concludes its American tour with a shock against Barça this Tuesday, in Las Vegas . With Giroud in front.
