It has been a busy start to the summer window for AC Milan. The Rossoneri have loaned out Francesco Camarda to Lecce and allowed Davide Calabria, Luka Jovic, Devis Vasquez and Alessandro Florenzi to depart following the expiry of their contracts. Backup goalkeeper Marco Sportiello has joined Atalanta on a permanent deal, Tommaso Pobega has joined Bologna on loan, whilst Pierre Kalulu's move to Juventus has been made permanent.
Milan also sold the newly crowned Serie A Midfielder of the Year Tijjani Reijnders, who played a key role in Manchester City's Club World Cup campaign following his move to the Etihad. They also sold another vital figure in Theo Hernandez, who joined Saudi powerhouse Al-Hilal. Milan brought in Samuele Ricci and Luka Modric, respectively, to replace Reijnders in midfield, whilst they also added Pietro Terracciano to replace Sportiello.
At left back, meanwhile, Milan have completed the signing of Pervis Estupinan for 17 million euros, including add-ons, tying him down to a contract through 2030. Having missed out on the signing of Archie Brown to Fenerbahce, the Italian side worked quickly to sign Estupinan. And there's reason to believe that he is more than capable of filling Theo's void on the left side of defense.
Born in Esmeraldas, Ecuador, Estupinan started his development in LDU Quito and quickly excelled thanks to his explosive speed and impressive dribbling skills. These promising displays earned him a move to Udinese, which proved a launching pad for his success in Europe. Whilst he never managed to feature for Udinese, he was able to develop in various loan destinations like Almeria, Mallorca, Osasuna, and Villarreal, wherehe won the UEFA Europa League and reached the Champions League semifinals.
Estupinan's stellar performances in Spain earned the attention of Brighton & Hove Albion, who brought him to the club in 2022. He quickly established himself as one of the best fullbacks in the Premier League under Roberto De Zerbi, leading them to European football for the first time in club history. Capable of bombing forward and eluding his man with a deft first touch, Pervis' attacking profligacy worked a charm at Brighton, whilst he also proved effective in holding his own in 1v1 situations.
Skilled at using his physical frame to his advantage, Estupinan is always one step ahead of his opponent and reading the opposing pass with a well-timed intervention. He's allowed his teams to defend on the front foot, regaining possession with ease before smoothly breaking the lines with a superb cross or an excellent pass into the final third.
Whilst he thrives at bombing forward, he's more than capable of tracking back and ensuring that his defense doesn't get caught out against speedy wingers. It's precisely this balanced skillset which has seen Milan take the initiative and sign the 27-year-old defender. Estupinan looks set to play a vital role for Milan's rebuild following a dismal campaign that saw them miss out on Europe, and there's every reason to believe that he will be the first-choice left back from Day One under Max Allegri.
If there is one qualm about Estupinan, it's his fitness. He missed 21 matches due to muscular injuries in the 2023/24 season, he missed five matches due to a muscular problem in 2024/25, and he also missed 17 matches due to an ankle injury in 2024/25. However, if he can steer clear of injury, Estupinan has what it takes to fill Theo's void and emerged as Milan's next top-quality left back.
