As La Gazzetta dello Sport recall, the first in-person meetings with potential candidates – at least, the known ones – date back to February. Milan were probably hoping to close the matter in a few weeks, so they had more time to plan for 2025-26.
However, the search is still ongoing. Fabio Paratici seemed all set to arrive but then things fell apart, while the most recent meeting was with Igli Tare in mid-April but was not definitive. Time is passing, and the list of tasks is growing.
The first issue is unavoidable: it is necessary to decide who will replace Sergio Conceicao. Milan will once again try to start a cycle with a new coach after the failure of the Paulo Fonseca project (and, in turn, of Conceiçao).
The club philosophy is moving with a certain force towards an Italian name, so the orientation is therefore for homegrown coaches. This is why, for example, the name of Tare – back in pole position after a dormant period – is associated with that of Massimiliano Allegri.
Hiring Tare and Allegri in a reasonably short time would mean having the foundations to build Milan 2025-26. The director and the coach are two closely linked figures, not only in terms of market needs, but also in relationships with management and the needs of the squad.
After that, the director will need to move on to the evaluations on the squad. This is not a Milan to be dismantled and rebuilt – the ninth place is a combination of multiple causes, it does not reflect the value of the players – but targeted and functional signings are still needed.
A deputy to Rafael Leao, another centre-forward based on how it ends with Tammy Abraham and Luka Jovic, a midfielder and most likely a left-back in place of Theo Hernandez will be needed. Also in this case, the search for Italians like with the coach must be considered.
Then there are the loans players. Kyle Walker is no longer as certain of being bought as it seemed until recently, while money could come from the sales of Alexis Saelemaekers and Ismael Bennacer among others.
The renewals of Mike Maignan and Theo will have to be addressed. Furthermore, the new director will have to be able to squeeze the best out of the mercato with a very complicated double mission: to strengthen the team, but without the proceeds from the Champions League.
Then there is the issue of internal balances. Up until now, the ownership has tried to make up for the tasks of the missing sporting director by dividing the tasks among other figures (Giorgio Furlani, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Geoffrey Moncada).
With a full-fledged sporting director, RedBird’s Milan would still remain a management that does not foresee excessive individualism, but it is easy to imagine that any director who arrives will ask for a certain amount of autonomy.
In short, balances to be re-arranged, like those in the relationships between the first and second teams. Milan Futuro has its own organisational chart – where the director is Jovan Kirovski – but the synergy between the two teams clearly requires significant improvements.
