Nkunku and Milan: 37 million and zero goals in four hours

Tough times for balloon sellers. Christopher Nkunku scored one after scoring against Lecce in the Italian Cup but hasn’t had an opportunity to celebrate in the league yet. And the red balloon that he puts in his sock every game remains there, waiting for better times. The AC Milan fans, however, do the math and begin to worry: Nkunku has zero goals in over 250 minutes of the championship. Four and a quarter hours on the pitch without scoring. There are many.

37 million and 36 goals

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The purchase price naturally has a weight in this story because Milan, after a prudent summer as per tradition, spent 37 million plus bonuses on him. More than those invested in January for Santiago Gimenez. The idea was to make him an important player, a generator of electricity in an attack more linked than others to counterattacks, transitions, individual improvisations. Excessive spending? Calm down, it’s the beginning of November and Nkunku is a strong player. Between 2021 and 2023 he scored 36 goals in the Bundesliga, he is a French international, he can play in different positions. At Milan, for sure, he will be useful. The point is to understand whether it can be decisive. If he can be a starter.

nkunku-pulisic: who plays in the derby?

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History says that Christo needs trust and that Allegri will not play with three attacking players. We are counting the shirts. Rafa Leao has booked one in recent matches: if it’s there, he plays. Santiago Gimenez did badly and got hurt: for that hunt for the shirt, he isn’t there. That leaves Nkunku and Christian Pulisic, in the running for a place for the derby and beyond. We have a clear favorite: CP11. Pulisic missed a goal as big as the Teatro Regio in Parma but showed that he hasn’t forgotten which way to the goal is. Milan convinced the United States not to call him for the November break and Pulisic will remain at Milanello to train. Prediction for November 9th: Sunday 23rd at 8.45pm he will be on the pitch to listen to the Serie A anthem. Nkunku on the bench, with the sad balloon in his sock.