In three weeks and one day, AC Milan will kick off their Serie A campaign. On Sunday, 23 August, Ruben Amorim's Rossoneri will travel to the Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino to face Torino, led by a familiar face both on the pitch and on the touchline: former Milan captain Ignazio Abate, who took charge of the Granata this summer.
As things stand, Milan's squad is still incomplete and, as is often the case during the transfer window, it is unlikely to be finalised by the opening day of the league season. However, for the squad to be completed, the transfer market needs to be unlocked after such a promising start.
Milan's transfer market at a standstill
So far, Milan have completed three first-team signings. They burst into the market during the opening 10 days of the window, securing what were arguably their two biggest priorities: a striker in Gonçalo Ramos and a central defender in Mario Gila. The club invested more than €100 million on those two deals alone.
There was hope that these signings would be the beginning of a series of targeted arrivals and departures aimed at strengthening Ruben Amorim's squad. Instead, apart from the promising addition of youngster Sankhoun Diawara, no further arrivals have materialised. At first glance, the Rossoneri still need at least two or three more signings, particularly in the attacking midfield and wing-back positions. There is one major obstacle, however: player sales.
Milan now need departures
While it is true that Milan have not made any significant investments since signing Ramos and Gila, they have also failed to generate income through player sales. That is likely the main reason behind the current stalemate.
After committing heavily to strengthening the attack and defence, the Rossoneri now need to raise funds before making further moves. Several players could be on their way out, with Rafael Leão at the top of the list. His potential departure could have a major impact on Milan's incoming business as well. But he is far from the only player whose future remains uncertain. Fikayo Tomori, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Youssouf Fofana, Samuele Ricci, Yunus Musah and Ardon Jashari are all among those whose positions are under evaluation.
New head coach Ruben Amorim wanted time to assess his squad up close before making decisions. After two weeks of pre-season at Milanello and the first few days of the tour in Perth, the Portuguese coach is undoubtedly beginning to form a clear picture of which players are not part of his long-term plans. Once those decisions are made and Milan begin offloading players, both the financial resources and squad space needed for further signings should become available.
