Top five players AC Milan should target in summer 2022

The defending Serie A champions are looking for key additions to strengthen their squad.

AC Milan’s first Serie A title in 12 years was built on a team with balanced performance and maturity, alongside fortuitous stumbles at key times by their other title contenders. Their consistency on the pitch saw them pip city rivals Inter Milan to the 2021-22 victory, and the Rossoneri will be keen to build on that going forward.

Shrewd moves in the transfer market last summer saw them bring in the likes of Mike Maignan, Fikayo Tomori, Sandro Tonali, Olivier Giroud and others, who have been absolutely instrumental in their triumph last campaign. Stefano Pioli’s side will need another summer of on-point transfer activity if they are to defend their title. While also putting their best foot forward in the UEFA Champions League.

Here are five players AC Milan should sign in the transfer market to consolidate their position as Italy’s best team.

5. Raheem Sterling (Manchester City)

AC Milan have a long-standing interest in the English winger. Sterling look set for a move away from the Etihad Stadium this summer. The Manchester City forward has just one year remaining on his current deal going into the new season. Chelsea and Barcelona have both shown interest in the 27-year-old, but Chelsea are leading the race to land the English forward.

Sterling recorded 17 goals and 9 assists across all competitions last term. Manchester City have placed a £50m price tag on the 27-year-old.

4. Gleison Bremer (Torino)

After being voted Serie A's best defender last season, Gleison Bremer is an unknown quantity no more. Like Botman, he is also a young centre-back who has been pivotal to his team’s success. The Brazilian centre-half leads all Serie A players with 3.4 interceptions per 90 minutes. While his average of 4.1 clearances is bettered only by three players. He made an average of 45.5 passes per 90 last season, with an 82% success rate. He has also scored 11 goals in Serie A since 2019-20, more than any other central defender in the Italian top flight in this period. 

With Simon Kjaer out for an extended period of time with injury and Alessio Romagnoli leaving the club following the expiry of his contract. Tomori is left as the club’s only senior defender. With Milan also competing in the Champions League this year, recruiting defenders who be rotated without a drop in the quality will be key.

3. Andrea Belotti (Torino)

Unlike clubs bankrolled by ultra-rich owners who can afford to splash the cash every transfer window. Milan operate on a modest budget and need to work shrewdly to improve their squad. One way is via free transfers, and there’s where Andrea Belotti comes in. 

The striker has been prolific in Serie A for several years now and his contract with Torino is ending in June. With Zlatan Ibrahimovic out for a long time with injury and Olivier Giroud on the wrong side of his 30s, Belotti would be the perfect addition for Milan. To make things sweeter, the 28-year-old is in the prime of his career and is a boyhood Milan fan.

2. Alessandro Florenzi (AS Roma)

Alessandro Florenzi will not be an unknown quantity for Milan, as the defender spent the 2021-22 season on loan there from AS Roma. He hasn’t had a permanent home for three years now. The right-back spent a season on loan at Valencia followed by a season at Paris Saint-Germain. Back in Italy after two years abroad, the 31-year-old settled quickly with the Rossoneri and made the right-back spot his own. 

In his loan deal, Milan also has an option to buy (€4.5 million) and it is one that the club should trigger ahead of the 2022-23 campaign. He was instrumental in their Serie A triumph. It would do them a world of good by keeping the league-winning defence intact. Moreover, he is a versatile player who has also been used as a wing-back and a right-winger by Stefano Pioli last season.

1. Divock Origi (Liverpool)

Divock Origi was one of the brightest young talents at the 2014 FIFA World Cup, prompting Liverpool to swoop in and buy his services. While the Belgian has won multiple titles in England, he was never a fixture in the starting eleven. His time at Liverpool was spent being a super-sub, one that he exceptionally performed countless times. With tactical acumen and ambidextrous feet, he can play on either wing or even up front, making him the perfect player for Milan to integrate into their squad. 

Origi was at Liverpool for eight years, scoring 41 goals and providing 18 assists in 175 appearances across all competitions. The 27-year-old is another player who is available on a free transfer. This makes him an all-the-more attractive acquisition in this transfer window.

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