Sergio Conceicao has a new selection issue to deal with after Kyle Walker’s injury problem, but there are a number of solutions in the role.
As Milan confirmed last night, Walker has suffered a fracture to his right elbow. To ensure a better healing and optimise recovery times, the player underwent olecranon osteosynthesis surgery in Milano and the operation was a complete success.
As Calciomercato.com report, Conceicao will have to do without one of his most experienced players for the next few weeks at least. There are league games of course, but also the Coppa Italia semi-final second leg against Inter, scheduled for Wednesday 23 April.
Emerson Royal is not a solution at present for the Portuguese coach, because he is still out due to the muscle injury suffered in January and which halted his move to Galatasaray in the winter transfer window. Davide Calabria is also no longer there, having moved to Bologna in January.
The favourite
Alex Jimenez is the one expected to take the spot at present. The young Spaniard has recently been used more as a winger, but his natural role is as a full-back and he has already been used on the right and left.
So far, the former Real Madrid player has made 15 appearances in Serie A, plus two in the Supercoppa Italiana, two in the Coppa Italia and another 18 with Milan Futuro in Serie C (15 games) and the cup (three).
He is the No.1 candidate to replace Walker in Udine, and trusting him would send important signals in view of the a summer in which the Rossoneri are expected to hold talks with Real Madrid about removing their buy-back clause.
Alternative ideas
Filippo Terracciano can play on the right and left of a four-man defence, So far, however, the 21-year-old has not found much space: 14 appearances in total, but the last one dates back to February 15th with a handful of minutes against Hellas Verona.
Alessandro Florenzi is back from a serious knee injury and returned to training with the rest of the group only a month ago. The former Roma player was called up for the first time in the league against Lecce, but Conceicao has not yet used him since.
One idea might be to use Fikayo Tomori, a natural centre-back. The Englishman was used on the right in the Champions League game against Dinamo Zagreb when Walker could not play due to regulatory issues and Jimenez was not on the UEFA squad list. Tomori started against Fiorentina on Saturday, too.
Then there is Yunus Musah. The American was taken off by Conceicao after just 23 minutes, which sparked an inquest. He has always used the former Valencia man in more advanced positions, though under Stefano Pioli he was used as the right-back.
