The January transfer window has not officially opened yet, but the Rossoneri are already very active on the incoming front. The centre-forward has arrived: Niclas Füllkrug, a German striker born in 1993, has joined Milan from West Ham on a free loan deal with an option to buy set at €5 million. The move is not yet official and will not be announced in the coming hours, as the club must wait until January 2, the day the transfer window opens and also the date of the first league match of 2026 against Cagliari. Thanks to a special authorization granted by the League to both clubs, Füllkrug will be able to play regularly in that match. Despite doubts surrounding his physical condition, the German is now on the verge of becoming a Milan player, and therefore the attacking department can be considered complete for the remainder of the season.
Fullkrug to Milan is done, now what next?
Milan’s incoming transfer business cannot and must not stop here, on the contrary. The need to sign a reliable central defender who can be part of the rotation in a back three is vital. Playing with a 3-5-2 system and having De Winter as the only alternative, who so far has not delivered performances at the required level, makes it essential to add another defender to the squad. Many names are being linked with the Rossoneri by transfer market experts, starting with Disasi, the Chelsea centre-back who is struggling for playing time at the English club, and more recent names such as Gatti, currently at Juventus and highly appreciated by Allegri, Dier from Monaco, and many others. At the moment, the club has not identified a clearly defined ideal profile, although in reality the perfect signing had been found. Letting Thiago Silva slip away, a player who would have returned without hesitation, was an incomprehensible decision that now forces Milan to patch things up by signing a defender who will certainly not have the charisma and experience of the Brazilian, but who must still provide a certain level of security to the defensive unit.
The January transfer window will reveal a lot about the club’s ambitions for this season, not only in quantitative terms but also in terms of quality. The Rossoneri are currently in second place, just one point behind the league leaders, as relayed via Milannews.it. With the Supercoppa Italiana now behind them and elimination from the Coppa Italia already sealed, the team is left with only the league: 23 matches that will determine whether Allegri’s first season is viewed positively or not, and will also heavily influence the outlook for the next campaign. Based on whether or not Champions League qualification is achieved, which the coach has described as “life-saving”, we will understand the foundation from which the club will start next season. That next season, however, is not even in the distant thoughts right now, because, as has not happened for a long time, with the season nearing its halfway point, the Rossoneri are fighting for an important and prestigious objective.
