Milan under Conceição will fly to Lecce in an attempt to get back on track for European qualification. Meanwhile, the Rossoneri CEO, Furlani, has already flown across the ocean to land in New York and head to the offices of RedBird.
There, on Madison Avenue, he met with Gerry Cardinale, the club’s majority shareholder.
The American businessman and the Italian CEO met yesterday and have more meetings scheduled: nothing unusual in the management of a company. Once again, those involved emphasize that this is a routine summit. It may, however, require more time or additional meetings, as there are many topics that need to be discussed in person: the stadium, the club's organizational structure, the transfer market, and the new technical project. It will be a standard administrative meeting, which could turn into an extraordinary one if it marks the beginning of a new chapter in Milan’s history.
Milan's stadium matter
Gerry Cardinale, the club’s owner, in recent days, has personally taken charge of the search for the next sporting director. Also present with him in this decision and discussion will be Giorgio Furlani, who was very clear in his most recent public statement, where he acknowledged: "When performances are this far below expectations, there isn’t just one person to blame. The truth is, we are all somewhat responsible. I certainly include myself in that, as I am the CEO and decisions go through me." The key phrase is the last one: all decisions, (and signatures), go through him.
During the New York meeting, they will assess the situation regarding the stadium: the Milan City Council is expecting a proposal from the Rossoneri and Nerazzurri clubs regarding the new San Siro soon.
A proposal that will be substantial, including all financial references and feasibility studies. At the same time, Milan is keeping the San Donato option open, a project in which the CEO is actively engaged alongside club president Scaroni. The two have attended many recent meetings together on this front.
Who will be AC Milan's sporting director?
Another duo, Cardinale and Ibrahimović, has instead initiated a series of meetings in London regarding the club’s future sporting director. They have invited Andrea Berta, Fabio Paratici, and Igli Tare. A decision is not imminent: given that this is about laying the foundations for a new cycle, including the head coach and players, the choice has been made to take time. Furlani still needs to personally evaluate the candidates and give a decisive preference.
The shared idea is to expand the club’s organizational structure by introducing a new key figure, a senior executive who will be involved in the team’s daily operations, act as a bridge between the squad, the coach, and other departments, and work effectively in a "team" setting, as dictated by the American business strategy. Further exploratory meetings before a final decision cannot be ruled out.
Meanwhile, Furlani will also focus on other topics and activities. In fact, yesterday he met with representatives from other areas of RedBird: there are many interests to develop and many markets to explore, something the Rossoneri’s financial chief is well aware of. Milan’s league position remains unsatisfactory, but in financial terms, the club is already at the top.
Source: La Gazzetta dello Sport newspaper in today's edition (March 7, 2025).
