AC Milan now face the task of trying to rebuild the midfield with Tijjani Reijnders’ sale now imminent, and there are some ideas emerging.
La Gazzetta dello Sport confirm that Milan will bid farewell to Reijnders, after agreeing a deal worth a total of €75m with Manchester City, all bonuses included. The question that fans are now asking is an obvious one: how will Igli Tare and Massimiliano Allegri replace the best midfielder in the league?
Internal reflections
Tare and Allegri have already spoken about the issue. The new sporting director was in Rijeka, Croatia, yesterday to quickly close the operation for Luka Modric. The former Ballon d’Or winner, who will turn 40 in September, is the first addition to the midfield that was left without Reijnders.
He is an experienced all-rounder who can cover practically every position in the department with any formation. However, due to his age, Modric cannot be considered Tijjani’s replacement. A certainty from a physical point of view is also needed, as the Dutchman was.
Adrien Rabiot is one idea, and he was Allegri’s favourite in recent years at Juventus. The Frenchman winked at his former coach and the Rossoneri in a recent interview with La Gazzetta, revealing how he often talks to Max.
Today, however, he is at Marseille, where last summer he signed a two-year contract with an (unwritten) agreement to free himself for a symbolic sum (around €10m) in case he wants to leave. Rabiot is happy at Marseille, who got into the Champions League, but his bond with Allegri is strong.
Another Frenchman is admired: Matteo Guendouzi of Lazio. The profiles wanted by the new Milan coach for his midfield are essentially two: a mezzala with work rate and production like Rabiot or Guendouzi and a regista with great tactical acumen to be placed in front of the back four.
Regarding the latter, Allegri wants someone who can play like Mark van Bommel in his time at Milan or Manuel Locatelli in more recent times at Juve. On this second option, Tare’s search is still ongoing.
