Niccolo Ceccarini spoke to Milannews.it about the transfer market and Paulo Fonseca's work so far.
Here are his words:
"I believe Fonseca is a good coach overall, but at the Rossoneri club, he’s not having the impact I expected. Too many ups and downs. This means part of the responsibility lies with the coach; evidently, he hasn’t found the right formula yet. This Milan side has excellent individual talent and should have a better standing in the league than they currently do. That’s why I say I expected more from him."
Are you surprised by the continued trust from Milan in him?
"I’m not surprised because when a club makes a decision, it has to back it as much as possible. It’s clear that the ambitions were entirely different. Trust must be absolute; otherwise, if there’s no firm belief, the club has to move in another direction. As always, though, everything depends on results."
What moves should we expect in the January transfer market?
"They need a backup for Fofana, and this need has been clear since the start of the season. Bennacer is coming back now, and we’ll see how much he can contribute. But if there’s a chance to sign a player with those characteristics, they’ll try to get him."
Any specific names for Milan?
"A player who could be a good fit for the Rossoneri, given that he’s ready, is Frendrup from Genoa. However, his valuation is over €15 million. The real question is what the new Genoa ownership intends to do, whether they’ll entertain significant offers or not. We’ll know more soon."
Other areas of the field?
"Some time ago, an alternative to Theo Hernandez was needed. Now, though, Jimenez is doing well. There was talk of Parisi (also for registration reasons), but he’s also a strong target for Como. I think no definitive decision has been made for this position."
Contract renewals: What’s the status?
"Maignan’s renewal is in the final stages, extending until 2029."
And on AC Milan's possible contract renewal with Tijjani Reijnders, Ceccarini said:
"It will be formalised with the new year so that the agreement runs until 2030. He had significant interest from Premier League clubs, but he wants to stay."
What’s the situation with Theo Hernandez?
"Milan has made him a new proposal, but the situation is evolving. Theo is in high demand in the market, and even if a renewal happens, one must always keep an eye on market developments."
Will there be a release clause in the Frenchman’s contract?
"I don’t think so. Theo’s renewal requires more work compared to the others, which are more advanced or practically finalized."
Departures: Could anyone leave Milan already?
"Terracciano is liked by Empoli. Jovic is on his way out, but the right solution for him remains to be found. Keep an eye on Okafor too; he has a market. We’ll see—everything will depend on the opportunities that arise."
Milan's Fikayo Tomori has been linked with Juventus.
"My understanding is that Juventus is targeting Antonio Silva, and if a loan deal is agreed upon, he could be their January signing. The top priority would be Hancko, but that’s a more complicated operation. These are the hot names."
Davide Calabria and Alessandro Florenzi’s contracts are expiring.
"I think those are discussions to address after the transfer market."
What’s brewing for June?
"Ricci is the big dream for next year. He won’t move in January; even Cairo has confirmed that. He’s a target, but it depends on how much Torino demands and the competition for him."
