AC Milan are looking to increase the Italian quota in their squad, and one department they are targeting is the midfield.
As Calciomercato.com report, Milan want to relaunch in 2025-26 with more of a ‘homegrown’ influence on the squad, i.e. players who are already accustomed to Serie A and will know what it means to wear the red and black shirt.
The major target
The feeling is that the management – regardless of how the sporting director soap opera ends – will invest in a new central midfielder, and in particular someone who would be considered a deep-lying playmaker.
The big name on their list is Samuele Ricci. For several months now, the Rossoneri have been preparing the groundwork to try and sign the Italy international, so much so that they even tried to land him in January.
Ricci himself made an admission that favours Milan’s thinking: “I prefer to be a regista, I take inspiration from Rodri.” He would be a fit for Maurizio Sarri too, one of the candidates for to replace Sergio Conceicao that is gaining momentum.
What could represent a significant obstacle is the player’s price tag. The Milan management do not want to pay more than €25-30m for Ricci, but Urbano Cairo hopes for an auction that could raise the price to €40m.
The back-up plan
There is already a ‘Plan B’ ready: Hans Nicolussi Caviglia, a midfielder owned by Venezia, who signed him last summer from Juventus on loan with an obligation to buy set at €3.5m. The buy-out clause was exercised in February, so the club from the lagoon own him outright.
The player’s qualities have not gone unnoticed and despite a less than brilliant season for his team, the midfielder has always been the protagonist of positive performances, so much so that he managed to amass four goals and three assists.
Nicolussi Caviglia’s future will also be decided by these last four games: in the event of relegation to Serie B, it would be really unlikely that he would remain with the Veneto club. Milan are watching.
