Charles De Ketelaere, Daniel Maldini, Pierre Kalulu and Yacine Adli are convincing this season, something which AC Milan are struggling to do themselves.
Milan’s market in the summer was, perhaps rightly, judged on arrivals rather than departures. In terms of entries, the Rossoneri added pieces that are now fundamental like Youssouf Fofana, Tijjani Reijnders and Alvaro Morata, but also somewhat questionable additions like Tammy Abraham, Emerson Royal and Strahinja Pavlovic.
The real disaster for the Rossoneri, we can say today with hindsight, was in the outgoing market, depriving themselves of players such as Kalulu, De Ketelaere (bought back), Adli, Maldini and even Devis Vasquez.
This is only further worsened by the fact that the club kept the expensive outcasts Fode Ballo-Toure and Divock Origi, which together see the club spend €5.5m net per year in wages. We must also add here that the club made attempts to part ways, but none were successful, a telling sign.
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Daniel Maldini (to Monza)
This analysis comes, as mentioned, with the benefit of hindsight, but it is also true that some of the summer departures were met with initial doubts before a ball was even kicked at their new clubs.
The most striking one is perhaps Daniel Maldini, who was sold to Monza for free in exchange for only a 50% future resale clause rather than any up front transfer fee.
While it is impossible to overlook the historical significance of seeing a Maldini leave AC Milan, it is clear that Daniel’s transfer was a ‘forced move’, perhaps dictated by the previous rift between his father and the club.
Regardless of his surname, a 23-year-old Italian – born and bred in the youth sector, with top flight experience who last season averaged a goal every 81 minutes (four in 11 games) – is useful for almost any Serie A club.
Perhaps that alone would have been enough for Milan to get something a little more substantial from his transfer. But this is where the clause comes in…
daniel maldini AC Milan
Percentage for the future, but what about the present?
While Milan received little to nothing (believed to be less than €1m) from Monza, they have secured half of Maldini’s next transfer, in the style of what was done in the past with Pessina. An operation that could also be forward-looking one day.
However, this clashes with the need that the Diavolo have right now, the need for a player like Daniel. Given the 4-2-3-1 system Paulo Fonseca is using, with a natural playmaker, he would finally have a set role in the team.
Another point to bear in mind is Luciano Spalletti’s call-up. The Scudetto winning head coach deployed him as a trequartista and perhaps, he could have been a perfect alternative to Pulisic, who is today the only one who can fill that role.
Leaving aside the misunderstanding between Fonseca and the management during the market, it is clear to everyone that Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Yunus Musah are not reliable reserves because they have different characteristics.
So now Milan find themselves floundering between a thousand form fluctuations in seventh place in the league table, Daniel has conquered the Azzurri shirt despite playing in a mediocre team.
Pierre Kalulu (to Juventus)
Here the analysis is even easier. The Rossoneri’s defence is a sieve and the hunt for a defender who can solve everything in January is almost comical.
What was the reason for the haste? Only the attempts to dispose of Kalulu in the summer, which eventually led them to accept an even more comical offer from a rival like Juventus.
Kalulu was one of the main architects of the last Scudetto won by Milan under Pioli, the purchase of the year considering how much was spent (€1.3m) and how he became a starter and Italian Champion within a season.
In the following seasons, the Frenchman still performed well but ended up losing his starting role, although this was probably due to several injuries rather than a drop in quality.
Nevertheless, he is still young at 24, one year younger than Gabbia and two years younger than Tomori, yet he was rapidly sold to the highest bidder in exchange for a guarantee of only €3.3m (the loan fee).
As in the case of Maldini, the future prospects of the operation – even less aleatory than with Maldini Jr. – come into play.
Pierre Kalulu of Juventus
A buy-out that only suits Juve
In the almost inevitable event of a permanent signing by the Bianconeri, Milan will receive €14m plus another €3m in objective-based bonuses from Kalulu’s permanent departure. It is a sum that would bring in €20m, if all goes well – speaking with bias though, is Juve’s success worth €3m?
Twenty million euros is more or less what Milan spent to get Pavlovic in the summer, a defender who certainly has time on his side (he is a year younger than Kalulu) but who has made his own contribution towards the club’s worst defence in the last 10 years in the goals conceded category.
At the same time, however, Kalulu seems to be back to his old self with the Old Lady, churning out convincing performances consistently, both as a centre-back and full-back.
He has become a very useful reinforcement to the Bianconeri’s cause, courtesy of Milan, who now see Kalulu’s valuation rising ever faster and can do nothing about it.
Yacine Adli (to Fiorentina)
Adli is the intriguing case that prompted this piece. Thrown aside first by Pioli and then by Fonseca, the former Bordeaux man has taken his revenge with the Fiorentina jersey where he is proving to be a playmaker with flair.
Already the author of three goals, including a very nice one against Milan, and just as many assists, Adli is the face of Raffaele Palladino’s Viola, who are the real surprise of the season so far: they are fourth in the standings with 9 (NINE), points more than the Rossoneri.
AC Milan received €1.5m for the loan and there is a €13m option to buy, so just under €15m as a total package, which is roughly what the Rossoneri would have to spend to fill the predictable void left in midfield by both the Frenchman’s departure and Bennacer’s injury.
Yacine Adli of ACF Fiorentina
So before we even think about the currency, let’s consider that from the sale of Adli – and not only that – Milan have not only gained almost nothing but have already almost lost the main objectives of the season: the Scudetto and a top four spot.
With this, we do not mean to say that the sale of Adli (as well as that of Maldini or Kalulu) should not have occurred, but rather it should have been done at the right price and above all, they should have been replaced worthily.
Charles De Ketelaere (to Atalanta)
We come to what could be considered the most serious mistake made by the management, which it must be said inherited this situation given he was signed by the previous administration.
However, the €34m spent by Paolo Maldini and Ricky Massara for De Ketelaere was already a tragic affair that Geoffrey Moncada and Giorgio Furlani tried to patch, essentially trying to offload him on the best turns.
The ‘bandage’ turned out to be a move to rivals Atalanta. La Dea swooped, sensing that there was a player in there ready to explode, and they secured a €3m loan plus a €22m option to buy and €4m in bonuses.
They were able to defer the payment and will now recover the expense with interest, because he is worth over €40m as per reports circulating. A year on from that operation Milan were rushing to get done, it is necessary to come to terms with reality.
Last season he won the Europa League as a star man, and today in the Champions League he is the talk of the town with two goals and four assists in five appearances.
If we add to this the fact that Atalanta are now second in the standings while Milan are seventh – nine points behind – we have to ask ourselves: could it not be that it was those who did not invest in him who made the mistake?