Milan Summer 2025 Review

Last season ended poorly of course, finishing eighth and missing out on European football was a blow to the team and its finances. Furlani’s claim that major sales are not needed was received skeptically and so it proved. Selling Reijnders to Manchester City for less than his perceived value was to start a typical yet overly chaotic summer transfer window.

Hiring Tare and a returning Allegri heralded a more normal period for Milan. The former an experienced sporting director and the latter an experienced coach should have resulted in a structured way of going about the summer business. Their past – in particular Allegri’s increasingly negative tactics – may not have been all what Milan fans wanted for the team now but the know how was needed to navigate yet another tweak or rebuild.

A prolonged player chase dominated most of the earlier parts of the transfer window and was reminiscent of the story of Charles De Ketelaere. Another Club Brugge player was coveted but his team were not budging and playing hard ball. Jashari eventually arrived – with a Milan fan tag attached to him – for the midfield.

Rumours aplenty as is normal for Milan and the likes of Ricci and Modric arrived to further bolster the midfield and provide much needed leadership. Theo’s poor form led to him seeking an exit and eventually accepting a Saudi League exit. A player who provided highlights earlier in his Milan career and had become a symbol of Maldini’s Milan left with more of whimper than anything else. Tare managed to gain some support for finding paid exit for Emerson Royal and a relatively large profit for Thiaw.

As the season started poorly with a loss to Cremonese and the squad thinner problems and questions started to pile up again. Exit rumours exploded and started to materialize with the likes of Okafor leaving Milan and leaving the team with fewer options. A 3-5-2 was all but forced on Allegri and this led to a team with Leao and Pulisic on the front lines and Gimenez unwanted and/or in poor form subbing and contemplating an exit.

Right back had become a weak point and the departure of Theo had added urgency for the other side of the pitch. Several less than exciting names were rumoured. Milan settled on Estupinan for the left back and Athekame for the right back. At least the former was experienced and defensively capable. The latter was a young project type player. This further forced Allegri into improvising and using the likes of Saelemaekers.

Camarda followed many more young players out the door with buy back clauses seen as a positive. A team with little offensive bodies was adding questions for itself and instead looking at not so cheap players like Conrad Harder. All the while the long rumoured Vlahovic pursuit popped up and faded back down.

As the summer transfer window reached its deadline climax the ‘Allegri needs players’ phrase popped up more and more as the coach seemed unsure what formation he should or could use. The number of players allowed to leaved accelerated to the point of leaving the team with barely a backup. Some agreed that so called deadwood should be disposed of but was it all too much. By the end of it all 17 members of the team ended the 2024-2025 season beating Monza 2-0 had departed. Some left on loan with a good chance of returning next summer, of course.

The list is indeed long and shown in the graphic above. All of Reijnders, Thiaw, Henandez, Emerson Royal, Musah, Jimenez, Sportiello, Bondo, Filippo Terracciano, Jovic, Chukwueze, Camarda, Florenzi, Felix, Abraham, Sottil and Walker left Milan. They were joined by others who were on loan and exited again. These were Okafor, Colombo, Morata, Lazetic, Vasquez, Calabria, Pobega and Pellegrino.

The full incoming or replacements list is Modric, Ricci, Jashari, Estupinan, Pietro Terracciano, De Winter, Athekame, Rabiot, Nkunku and Odogu. This ends up with the team being 22 man strong. Not many would agree that this is enough, even without the rigours of European football. In euros the incoming and outgoing amounts are very close. A tally counting all reported full transfer and loan fees has the team almost even and saving a bit more in salary.

Nkunku’s somewhat surprising fast moving and full transfer from Chelsea could be the wild card for a team lacking depth up front. Even if Allegri might need some thinking in using the Frenchman well. The midfield is surely the strength of the team but the same could not be said for the defense. Very early signs do not bode well with Tomori, Pavlovic and Gabbia not standing out in the first two Serie A games so far. De Winter and the late arriving prospect Odogu provide cover but will need to show if they are capable.

A year zero might have been expected after the failures of last season but barring a great rebound another might be expected and it can lead to another chaotic big headache for all involved.

Forza Milan.