Tag: Italy

These are the latest transfer news headlines to come out of AC Milan.

Club Brugge forward wants Milan move

Club Brugge forward Noa Lang, who has been compared to Neymar, is interested in plying his trade in Italy with AC Milan, according to a report.

Lang is set to leave the Belgian side in the summer, with the club valuing him at €25 million, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport. He has been attracting interest from all across Europe, especially the Premier League.

While he has spoken favourably about some of the clubs who have been touted as his potential destination in the past, the Dutch attacker is most interested in playing for AC Milan and will wait to listen to offers from the Rossoneri first before any other.

The 22-year-old will give Milan boss Stafano Pioli plenty of options as he is a versatile forward who can be deployed on either the left or the right flank as well as down the middle as a supporting striker, a centre forward or even an attacking midfielder.

Lang has 19 goal contributions in all competitions so far this season for Club Brugge.

Juventus offer winger to Milan for €40m

Juventus have signed Dusan Vlahovic from Fiorentina for a few in the range of €70 million and as a result will have to sell to balance the books.

One of the casualties of this signing is Dejan Kulusevski, who has been subject of transfer speculation since the beginning of the season. The Swede was already on the fringes of the team but slowly found his way back into the team discussion following a long-term injury to Federico Chiesa.

With Vlahovic arriving, reports from Calciomercato now claim that the club has put Kulusevski back on the transfer list and have also offered the winger to AC Milan.

Juventus offered Milan the chance to sign Kulusevski on a two-year paid loan of €5m with a mandatory obligation to buy set at €35m. The reports also claim that Milan have even talked with the 21-year-old’s representatives and will be making a decision on Friday.

Milan, however, are not in favour of striking a deal for the winger for the price Juventus are demanding and it remains to be seen if there will be any negotiations at all.

Milan target Sanches as Kessie replacement alongside long-term target Botman

Milan are now plotting a double summer raid on Lille to address two key areas in defence and midfield, according to new reports.

The Rossoneri have had their sights set on Sven Botman for a while and have even approached LOSC Lille for the player on a few occasions. However, fresh reports now claim that Milan is also looking at Renato Sanches to replace Franck Kessie at the club.

Italian outlet La Repubblica reports that while a deal for either of the two appears impossible to complete in the January transfer window, Milan is ready to make Botman their first signing of the summer. They will then follow it up with a bid for Sanches, who is expected to be available for between €25-30 million.

The duo would reunite with Mike Maignan in Milan, who signed last summer to replace Gianluigi Donnarumma after winning Ligue 1 with the French club.

Castillejo finally gets way out as Valencia inquire about winger

Reports claim that Valencia are hoping to close the signing of Samu Castillejo on loan with an option to buy before the January window closes.

Milan are currently negotiating a deal with the Spanish side for Castillejo that is very likely to be completed before the window closes. Castillejo has been deemed surplus to requirements at Milan by Pioli and has barely gotten any game time this season.

Milan have waited a while to get a good deal for the 27-year-old and now, the former Villarreal winger could be returning to Spain.

It is also reported that Real Betis and Espanyol have contacted Milan for the winger, but talks with Valencia appear to be more advanced.

The two clubs are discussing a paid loan with an option to buy for Castillejo, whose contract with the Rossoneri expires in 2023.

Fiorentina football director Joe Barone has confirmed that Dusan Vlahovic has refused to engage in talks with the club over his departure in the winter transfer window or in the coming summer transfer window, even as the club continues to receive offers for the striker.

Vlahovic, 21, has been in great form for I Viola this season, contributing to 24 goals in 24 appearances for the club (20 goals and four assists) in the 2021/22 season. He has also been impressive on the international stage, as he played a key role in helping Serbia qualify for the December 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

This news will be a blow to Arsenal, who are willing to match Fiorentina’s £66 million valuation for the big striker. However, Barone has stated that it is not over while expressing annoyance with the Serbian striker’s camp for their silence at such a critical time.

Arsenal are seeking reinforcements all over the pitch and their lack of quality was glaring as Liverpool knocked them out of the Carabao Cup last night. Two unreplied goals from Diogo Jota at the Emirates took the Reds into the final where they will face Arsenal’s London rivals Chelsea for the trophy.

The Gunners dominated the Reds at the Emirates but failed to create enough chances or finish off the few chances they created. However, Jota showed them the importance of a clinical frontman by finishing the only two clear cut chances he had all game to hand Liverpool the win.

This lesson in finishing from Liverpool’s Portuguese striker has increased the calls to Arsenal to get a deal for a frontman completed as soon as possible, but the Gunners will be biting their nails over their main target Vlahovic’s stance on a transfer to London.

Paul Merson urges the Gunners to go all out for Vlahovic this January

Arsenal have scored only one goal in their last four games and Mikel Arteta’s side seem to be slipping back into the slump they suffered in the first half of the season.

Fans who paid attention may not be surprised, as most of the goals scored by the Gunners in their good run were scored by midfielders. Since ex-captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s slump, no striker has managed to score more than his four goals in the Premier League for the Gunners this season.

The performance against Liverpool led to former Gooner Paul Merson calling out to his side to make sure they sign a striker this January.

“They need a striker and they’re not making millions of chances so they need someone who’s going to be putting the ball in the back of the net,” Merson said on Sky Sports after the game.

“Until they get a centre-forward who’s going to get them 20, 25, goals a season and then we’re talking again. They’ve had your [Thierry] Henry’s, Ian Wright’s, people like that – they need a top centre-forward. You very rarely win anything without a centre forward.”

The Premier League is the only competition Arsenal are still in and Merson’s views on the lack of goals from the team have been echoed by Arteta.

“We are really disappointed not to be in the final, but we were up against a top side, we had a big moment in the first half, big moments in the second half and when you have those moments you have to score if you want to beat this opponent,” Arteta said after the game.

“We were there pushing for the game. We had corners, good situations. You have to score, you have to convert, if you want to beat a team like Liverpool.

“We need to score goals and go through. That’s why we’re out.”

Arsenal face another Eden Hazard situation with Vlahovic

Asides from the comments from Fiorentina chief Joe Barone on Vlahovic’s stance, the Gunners also face an issue similar to what made them miss out on Eden Hazard in 2012.

Hazard was close to joining Arsenal in 2012 but a deal fell through because the Gunners were not willing to settle with his agent, who demanded a commission in order to secure his player’s signature for them. The Belgian eventually went on to create history with Chelsea, who swooped in on the deal and met the agent’s demands that year.

With Manchester City lurking, Arsenal’s hierarchy will be having flashbacks to the Hazard incident after receiving Vlahovic’s agent’s demands of an £8.3 million commission fee for the Serbian’s signature.

The deal for Vlahovic will cost a lot as reports claim that the total package will cost the Gunners around £150 million, with Vlahovic demanding £160,000-a-week in wages.

Arsenal, however, have a lifeline as a loan offer with an option-to-buy fee of £7 million has been submitted by Al Nassr of Saudi Arabia for Aubameyang. This fee could offset the commision which Vlahovic agent demands.

Former Real Madrid and Manchester City forward Robinho has lost his four-year appeal on his rape conviction and will serve nine years in prison, according to reports.

Robinho dazzled football fans for more than a decade all across Europe and Brazil with his silky touches, skills, and incredible footballing style. He was an epitome of “joga bonito”, the Brazilian flair that the world could not get enough of. Like quite a few of his peers, he enjoyed the fast life and as a result scandal followed him everywhere.

The incident that led to his conviction happened in 2013 while Robinho was on the books at AC Milan. He, along with five other Brazilians, were accused of the gang rape of an Albanian woman who was 22 years old at the time. In 2017, he was found guilty and appealed the judgment immediately, leading to a four-year process that exhausted the player’s time, career and resources. Early this week, the Supreme Court in Rome, Italy, rejected his appeal and upheld his conviction, sentencing him to nine years in prison.

His sentence is to begin immediately, but with Brazilian laws surrounding the extradition of Brazilian nationals for crimes committed outside Brazil a little cumbersome, the Italian judiciary will instead request that the former Santos forward serve his sentence in a Brazilian jail.

Aaron Ramsey and Juventus look to be officially done following the latest comments by Massimiliano Allegri when asked about the player.

The Welshman has failed to make any sort of impact while at the Allianz Stadium since joining on a free from Arsenal in 2019, and has been looking for a way out of the club for a while.

His future is now confirmed to be away from the Serie A giants after manager Massimiliano Allegri described him as an “outgoing player”.

The 31-year old has played only five games for Juventus this season, mostly due to injuries. Allegri’s comments, however, show that he is no longer in Juventus’ long term ambitions and imply that it would have been a similar outcome for the player if he had been fit enough to start.

Following the Serie A winter break, Ramsey was given permission to travel to England to do specific work. He returned this week, and Allegri delivered a clear verdict on the player, who is wanted by clubs in the Premier League.

Allegri said: “Ramsey, he returned today after we had given him a few days off to work, to train separately, in England. In any case, he’s an outgoing player. “

Clubs interested in Aaron Ramsey

Ramsey joined Juventus in 2019 after ten seasons on a free transfer for wages in the range of £325,000 – £400,000 a week.

He has not been able to deliver adequate returns, however, and the club is now ready to cut their losses.

Ramsey, speaking at an interview during the September international break, claimed that the Turin club don’t know how to get the best of him. The statement has been proven to be true as the midfielder has been one of Wales’ standout players in the two years he’s been at Juventus.

With 18 months left on his Juventus deal, reports have linked Ramsey with Newcastle, a return to Arsenal, and Burnley. Further reports claim that he turned down Burnley’s approach already.

Sky Italy‘s Gianluca Di Marzio, who has been reporting on the issue, said of the Burnley approach: “Ramsey may come back to the Premier League. He had an official proposal from Burnley to sign for them, but he said no.

“He wants to play for a more ambitious team, Newcastle have asked for him too before Christmas. We’ll see whether anyone can sign him in January.”

Morata to stay at Juve despite Barcelona interest

Meanwhile, Allegri went ahead to squash every Morata link to Barcelona in the same vein as which he confirmed Ramsey’s departure.

The striker’s two season loan back at the Old Lady will come to an end this season and it is understood that he doesn’t want a return to Atlético de Madrid, leading him to consider Barcelona’s offer.

The Spain striker, Allegri and Juventus officials have now held talks as the Barcelona noise becomes louder, but the outcome of the discussions are not yet known.

However, Allegri said to reporters, “Morata will not leave, he is a performance footballer. The problem with him is that he is given the wrong label.

“He is very important: I talked to him and I told him not to move from here. Case closed.”

Juventus have yet to decide whether they will take up the £29 million option to sign Morata permanently and have decided to allow his performances in the second half of the season influence that decision.

This also means that the rumoured links to Paris Saint-Germain’s Mauro Icardi could be off, as the former Inter Milan striker was only considered an option in the case of Morata’s departure.

Il Bianconero have reported that Juventus are giving serious thought to the idea of landing outgoing Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder Denis Zakaria in January.

Zakaria is available on a free in the summer and many clubs have inquired about the 25-year-old’s signature. The midfielder himself has said in the past that he would love to work under Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp, while also giving preference to Barcelona.

Both clubs have reportedly initiated contact with the Swiss midfielder’s camp ahead of a summer move and are now in danger of losing out on a target as Juventus want to hijack any potential deal by offering Monchengladbach a fee for the player this January.

Juventus manager Massimiliano Allegri is looking to reinforce the midfield department in the winter transfer window as his current midfield options have not been the best this season. Adrien Rabiot, Arthur Melo, and Rodrigo Bentancur have all failed to live up to his expectations, forcing the Italian manager’s hand.

Juventus hit stumbling block in pursuit of Icardi

Reports have claimed that Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain will find it difficult to reach an agreement for Mauro Icardi this month, throwing a wrench in the Turin club’s plans.

Juventus are hoping to get the Argentine striker on loan and the player has shown interest in the move. However, PSG want to sell outright.

The French side has listed quite a few players for transfer this month as they aim to meet the €100 million mark in sales this winter window.

The Bianconeri now need to find a way to convince the Ligue 1 side to let the Argentinian leave on loan, which may be impossible to reach this month.

Juventus reveal the reason why they are not fighting to keep Morata

The Spaniard has had some good times at the Allianz Stadium and is currently in his second stint at the club, albeit on loan.

The Bianconeri paid Atlético de Madrid €20 million last season to secure the Spaniard on loan for two seasons.

However, the Italians would have to spend another €35 million if they want to make his transfer permanent, and Juventus, who is in a financial crisis of their own, are not ready to shell out that amount.

His inconsistency in his second stint is also a reason why the club’s management is not too keen on the idea and is looking for a replacement for the player who is reportedly being targeted by Barcelona and has agreed terms with the Catalan club.

Corriere dello Sport reports that Alvaro Morata is not looking to return to Atlético and instead prefers to remain at Juventus or move elsewhere.

AC Milan started the 2021/22 Serie A season on a bright note but have now fallen apart and are currently in a top four battle.

As they try to figure out how best to get their squad firing, here are the potential departures and arrivals for the Rossoneri, as well as the latest transfer news around the club.

Conti and Castillejo on the way out of San Siro

Italian outlet Gazzetta dello Sport are reporting that AC Milan want to offload both Andrea Conti and Samu Castillejo in the January window to assuage the club’s financial burden.

AC Milan are also facing some financial struggles of their own, having sold their headquarters building recently to aid their finances. Now, sporting director Paolo Maldini is looking to the squad to further reduce the club’s current financial burden and has identified Conti and Castillejo as players who could be let go of as they haven’t really contributed anything meaningful to the club’s season so far.

Both players have been on Milan’s transfer list since last season but no move materialised for either of them. However, Genoa now looks to be interested in Castillejo while Empoli want Conti.

PSG set unattainable price for defensive target

Key defender Simon Kjaer suffered a season-ending injury in November and Milan have been forced to enter the transfer market for a replacement.

The club went after 25-year-old PSG defender, Abdou Diallo, but latest reports from Calciomercato have claimed that Milan are thinking twice about the deal.

PSG have set an asking price of €25 million for the defender but Milan is not willing to match it. Calciomercato reports that neither side is willing, as of now, to compromise on their stance.

The next few weeks will determine, as the club desperately need another defender because they’re short-staffed innthag department currently.

Club captain Alessandro Romagnoli could also be leaving San Siro this season, either in January or in the summer, which further necessitates a new defensive signing.

AC Milan to scout Olympiacos midfielder at AFCON ahead of summer inquiry

Calciomercato reports that the Rossoneri will send scouts to the African Cup of Nations to watch Guinea midfielder, Aguibou Camara.

The reports claim that Milan, as well as Liverpool, have been monitoring the Olympiacos man for some time and will now make a decision on signing him based on the results of their scouting expedition.

The 20-year-old has five goals and four assists in all competitions for the Greek side this season after joining them for just €300,000 from LOSC Lille in France.

Camara, who can play all across the midfield and even as a striker is currently valued at €4.5 million and could see his price go up if he performs well with Guinea at the AfCON.

He will be an affordable option to replace Franck Kessie, who could be leaving the squad at the end of the season as well.