Despite the club announcing a transfer market with few targeted signings and no major upheavals, there has been one area that saw some changes which were truly inevitable.
We are talking about the attacking line: Olivier Giroud, the veteran and starter striker of Stefano Pioli in the last few seasons left for a new experience in the USA. His replacement? Alvaro Morata, an important profile with experiences in Real Madrid, Atlético Madrid, Chelsea and Juventus. He has won the Champions League, Serie A trophy, the Euros as well as other remarkable club and individual titles.
For the Rossoneri club and Paulo Fonseca, success will depend on the two number 9s (though they are not actually wearing the number 9).
Alvaro Morata and Tammy Abraham reinforce Milan's attack
As per the Turin-based newspaper Tuttosport reminds us, the two number 9s that Milan acquired do not actually wear the number vacated by Olivier Giroud: one has the number 7, and the other dons the number 90.
The essence remains the same: the fate of Milan’s season as well as Fonseca's, will depend heavily on the performance of these two strikers. Both have already shown what they could bring to the team.
Morata played only the last half hour against Torino but was crucial in the game’s recovery with a goal and by staying at the center of the action: his most notable ability is making those around him play better, a desirable trait for wingers like Leao and Pulisic. On the other hand, Abraham entered cold against Lazio (having met his teammates only in the afternoon) and immediately stood out with excellent link-up play, one of which led to Leao’s goal. If both stay fit, the team may have gained two important alternatives.
On AC Milan's Noah Okafor and Luka Jovic:
Noah Okafor, is not really a central forward: the Swiss player is more adept on the wing or as a second striker at most. Generally, the former Salzburg player has always performed well coming off the bench during a match.
This is even more true for Luka Jovic, who was the king of late-game substitutions last season: the Serbian has shown to be less effective as a central striker and much more efficient as a second striker. It is no coincidence that, given the needs, the sacrificed player for the Champions League list was him.
With Abraham and Morata in the squad, as well as Camarda on the list B, it was much easier to sacrifice a third striker rather than one of the midfielders, who will be needed in abundance, especially if the team switches to a 4-3-3 in the future.
