Transfer market, Milan and Pioli pressing on Thuram: top signing and central role

Fourth. It is not Milan’s position in the last championship but the march with which Stefano Pioli plans to play in the next championship. To begin. The Milan market in this phase is made up of ideas, negotiations and polls but one idea is clear: in attack, if possible, we run. The ideal trio is Chukwueze-Thuram-Leao, linked by a thin Rossoneri thread. They are all young, they are all great athletes, one-on-one players who, when they have space, hurt. In transition, the ideal situation for Milan 2022-23, with them we go at a hundred per hour. The difference compared to the past would be clear. Brahim Diaz, Messias and Giroud, Leao’s attacking partners, are decidedly different. Giroud will still be very important but with the double tack, to the right and in the centre, Milan’s style, strengths and weaknesses, the characteristics of the attack would change.

The engagement

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Milan are so convinced that for Thuram they can even make an exception to the rules of the latest markets, which provided for controlled expenses under the signings item. Milan, until the exceptional renewal with Rafa Leao, never gave salaries above 4 million, which remained for a long time as a ceiling on salaries. Not only that, last summer he spent a lot on De Ketelaere’s transfer, preferring him to solutions (Ziyech, Asensio) with a lower acquisition cost and a higher salary. With Thuram, green light for change: if he arrives (on a free transfer), he would earn 5-5.5 million per season, close to the Leao level.

Times

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The end of June will almost certainly show whether the change will be possible. With Thuram, everyone thought it was going to be much sooner. Milan bet heavily on Lilian’s son already in the first hours of Moncada’s management and understood that they had made an inroad. Thuram asked for a few days to think and nobody thought it would become two weeks. Not only that, here we risk waiting some more. In the meantime, let’s look at what Milan are doing to play one of the key games of the summer.

Milan moves

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The first card, it is understood, is the signing: not up to a definitive proposal from the PSG but still very important. The second is Stefano Pioli. The Milan coach is on vacation but in recent days he called Thuram, as per his new role. Pioli has always called big goals – he also did it with De Ketelaere a year ago – but now he has more say in the matter. Thuram speaks Italian, Pioli was born in Parma like him and in short… there is no shortage of topics to talk about. Third card: the nobility. Thuram is looking for a prestigious club and Milan are second to few, very few in this. Fourth card: the minutes. Milan would guarantee him ample space, equivalent to that of a starter. Giroud at 36 has played a great season and has every right to feel like Milan’s centre-forward but Thuram could play with him or instead of him, find space as a 9, behind him or maybe even on the wing. Fifth card, the least important: the French DNA, which in Milan gains strength step by step.

Who chooses?

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Of course, all this may not be enough and the main variable is PSG. In Paris, even if the sea is 200 kilometers away, there are high waves: all on the high seas. PSG has not yet formalized Luis Enrique as coach, it is in the midst of the Mbappé case, behind the door there are incoming and outgoing negotiations. Situation not easy to manage. Surely, however, the transition from Nagelsmann – a great candidate for the bench until a few days ago – to Luis Enrique can change the scenario. Nagelsmann was a fan of Thuram, Luis Enrique … less: his football so far has been built on different players. Other teams interested? Leipzig, certainly, but Milan, if they start economically with PSG, fight on equal terms with Leipzig.

The decision

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And then, back to the starting point: Milan believes in it. There are many strikers on Furlani and Moncada’s list but up to now Milan is waiting for Thuram. Marcus will probably talk to the new PSG coach and, inevitably, he will decide within days. The Milan project fascinated him and he took his time for this too. A prediction? This story has dragged on for 15 days but will resolve itself quickly. One word will suffice and Milan’s summer will change. At 100 per hour.