AC Milan went through many changes this summer. The Rossoneri signed many players while several others left. Among the fresh bodies, Christian Pulisic, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Tijjani Reijnders have convinced the most.
As per Milannews.it, finding a replacement worthy of Tonali means finding a player capable of making a significant impact both in the offensive and defensive phases; both in positive transitions and in negative transitions. But not only that: a player capable of reading the game, understanding the moments of the match, timing their runs and offerings correctly, and, last but not least, finding the goal.
Sandro Tonali was not paid what he was paid by pure chance: the offer, indispensable at the moment for Italian clubs, is the result of an overall assessment that makes the former Brescia midfielder one of the most complete role players in the world.
Moncada and his team identified Tijjani Reijnders as the right man to pick up the mantle on the field, with slightly different characteristics, yes, but capable of providing a contribution in the midfield that doesn't make the absence of a powerhouse like the former fan favorite Rossoneri player felt.
The small but significant technical and tactical revolution of Milan this summer saw Stefano Pioli propose a different formation, with a midfield of three and an attacking trident. However, the manager's schematic fluidity means that, as in past years, the formations in possession phase are worth what they're worth, given the dynamism demanded from (and offered by) the players in the squad.
So, it's often seen Reijnders "breaking free" to position himself in the classic playmaker role, a position in which he has already shone in the first two outings of the season. Yes, because if his endurance was surprising (over 12 km covered on the field in both games), no less impressive was the clarity with which he treated the ball. Between successful passes (100% accuracy in Bologna, the first Milan player to achieve this since this stat has been recorded) and the quality of choices made in the final third of the field, never trivial, the value of the Dutch all-rounder can already be classified as "immense."
Milan and Milanisti suffered this summer, but from now on, there is this 25-year-old guy from the Netherlands who dreams big and wants to experience the joys with Milan that those who raise the level, win, and lift trophies experience.
