No one knows what’s simmering in Gerry Cardinale’s pot for next season, but perhaps it’s worth repeating what Milan definitely does not need. Namely: another upheaval, more executives, another coach, more players, only to start again from scratch, the perfect setup for yet another season full of uncertainty and broken promises.
Milan Must Avoid Another Revolution
No one knows Cardinale’s plan, but Gerry himself should know that Allegri, should he secure Champions League qualification, is willing to stay on, provided there are no corporate obstacles to his guiding vision and that the squad is significantly strengthened. Not only that. Changing the sporting director yet again, just to bring in another one merely to satisfy a desire for change, is hardly a wise direction, as per Franco Ordine.
Let us also not forget that, in the event of Champions League qualification, in addition to television rights revenue, the club could also receive income from the discounted buyout clauses of Pobega (€7 million), Jimenez (€12 million), Colombo (€8–10 million), and Morata (€12 million), while the buyouts of Terracciano and Bondò remain pending (depending on Cremonese avoiding relegation). The returns of Musah from Bergamo and Bennacer from Zagreb at the end of their loans are certain, while Chukwueze’s situation is different: his buyout clause is high (€27 million), although the English club would like to negotiate to save a few million. Finally, definite returns to the Italian youth representation squad are Camarda from Lecce, Comotto from Spezia, and Zeroli from Juve Stabia.
Milan Risk Losing Influence Off the Pitch
Milan fans are already bracing for a decisive summer, waiting to see whether Gerry Cardinale will finally push through a genuine overhaul of the transfer strategy or opt for continuity with targeted adjustments. Much will depend on executive decisions, the sporting direction, and how the club intends to prepare the squad for the new challenges ahead, both domestically and in Europe. Meanwhile, Rossoneri supporters can try to switch off a little over the summer and explore other forms of entertainment such as Pinco casino while waiting for important updates from the club.
When Gerry Cardinale addresses the issue of the club’s new corporate structure, he will also have to deal with the political dossier. Who is handling it? Up to now, no one. While Milan and Juventus struggle with their day-to-day troubles in the league table and internal relationships (Allegri–Ibra on one side, Spalletti–Comolli on the other), others have already prepared the future of Italian football.
Giovanni Malagò has secured enough votes to be elected on 22 June. Alongside him, completing the ticket prepared behind the scenes, will be Gianluca Viglione as secretary general, currently head of the football federation’s legislative office, as well as legal adviser to Gabriele Gravina, and known among Italian supporters for the celebrations at San Siro during Simone Inzaghi’s previous title-winning campaign. And that is not all.
Serie A has already decided to reconfirm its representation on the next federal council with Marotta, Chiellini, and Campoccia (Udinese), showing that almost nothing will change compared to Gravina’s previous governance. Another key appointment for the coming season will be the choice of the referee assigner for Serie A and Serie B, who must be appointed before summer and who will replace Rocchi.
Since a kind of feud has been ongoing within the refereeing world for years, two potential candidates currently remain in contention. The first, who would reportedly enjoy the support of the current national AIA council, is Orsato, currently referee assigner in Serie C, a figure of proven integrity. The second could be Doveri, born in 1977, who has just completed another season on the pitch and is widely appreciated for his seriousness, competence, and distance from political manoeuvring.
Given that Juventus and Milan have had no influence for some time, perhaps they should at least open their eyes to this last issue.
