AC Milan has chosen to draw a line in a 2024-2025 season to forget, marked by an 8th place in Serie A and the absence of any European competition for this new season. The Rossoneri have operated on a revolution on the market, separating from major frameworks like Théo Hernandez, Calabria, and Reinjders, but also Tammy Abraham, Alvaro Morata or Okafor. Even if Théo Hernandez has left a vacuum on the left side, Allegri preferred to recruit rather than keep French, which has become the shadow of himself in recent months. Its sale, more those of Reinjders and Malick Thiaw, who left for Manchester City and Newcastle for 55 and 35 million euros, made it possible to generate a significant financial margin. This departure strategy releases spaces for targeted recruits, aligned with the Vision of Allegri: a workforce capable of combining experience, versatility and technicality in all positions, like the crazy transfer window that Milan has been carried out this summer.
The Milanese transfer window is distinguished by the audacity and the quality of its reinforcements. Nkunku, Modrić, Rabiot, Ricci, Jashari, Estupiñán and de Winter, among others, come to strengthen a team already ready to perform in the coming weeks, despite disillusionment against Cremonese (1-2) during the first day. In the midfield, the addition of four major recruits, despite the presence of Youssouf Fofana and Loftus-Cheek, creates a rare balance between creativity and fighting spirit, like a “box to box” profile like Rabiot or Fofana, but also with a Luka Modrić, with its quality and its supplement, which Milan had lost since the departure of Ibrahimovic. The defense, despite the departure of Thiaw, relies on Tomori, Winter, Odogu, Gabbia and Pavlovic, a solid base for the three defenders system installed by Allegri. On the sides, Estupiñán and Saelemaekers promise an offensive impact, while in attack, Rafael Leão and Christian Pulisic already offer a formidable duo. The arrival of Christopher Nkunku, capable of combining in small spaces, but also of making the right pass at the right time, completes a versatile offensive sector, which can destabilize all the defenses of Serie A.
A major transfer window for a team carved for the Serie A
The return of Massimiliano Allegri to Milan, after his transition from 2010 to 2014, offers the Italian club an essential stability. Recognized for his ability to make the most of each player and build competitive workforce, Allegri imposed his tactical vision from preparation and the first championship matches. His choice of a flexible 3-5-2 makes it possible to adapt to all situations and to exploit the depth of the Milanese group. Modrić's experience in Real Madrid and Rabiot at Juve, the cohesion already established between Nkunku, Rabiot and Maignan, all trained at PSG, and the complementarity of recruits ensure a good balance in the field, but also in the locker room. Milan version 2025-2026 finally seems to find a structure capable of competing on all fronts. This was no longer the case for a few seasons: indeed, Inter Milan, Napoli or even Juventus still seemed very far, a few months ago.
The new strength of AC Milan lies in its depth and homogeneity. Each game compartment benefits from solid options, allowing Allegri to choose its holders according to performance, but also the opponent, while keeping a bench to maintain a high level until the last minute. Succeed in keeping Mike Maignan, also appointed captain of the team, and strengthening the defense while retaining a complete workforce offers Milan the right to dream of the coronation for Serie A. This total reconstruction, a priori, reflected and ambitious, places the Rossoneri in an immediate successful dynamic of success and suggests a return to the summits. This is good, Adrien Rabiot's new teammates will face the winner of the Scudetto, Naples, on September 28.
