With the summer transfer market approaching, the Rossoneri have secured a number of potential stars to make the switch from England to Serie A. During this critical transfer window, brokers and intermediaries are actively operating in anticipation of closing deals and reaping commission benefits.
As the season draws to a close, some of the players who have underperformed in the Premier League are looking for transfer opportunities. AC Milan are also carefully considering the various possible signings at this time, whether or not they have been explicitly recommended.
The possibility of a move from the Premier League to AC Milan is heating up. According to calciomercato.com veteran sports journalist Daniel Longo, there are currently four Premier League players on the Milan radar. Manchester United's centre-back Raphael Varane is facing a possible departure, but Milan's attention seems to be more focused on Wolfsburg's Maxence Lacroix, who shares the same team of agents as Malik Thiaw.
Raphael Varane, the French centre-back who made a name for himself in international football with La Liga giants Real Madrid, now plays for Premier League giants Manchester United, whose contract with Manchester United is due to expire on 30 June 2024. Despite the fact that United's management have not shown a strong willingness to enforce the original contract extension clause despite this milestone, it is a sign of uncertainty about Varane's future at Old Trafford. During his time at Manchester United, Raphael Varane faced varying degrees of challenge, including frequent injuries and an overall performance that was not as impressive as he had been at the Bernabeu. His role in the United squad contrasted sharply with his position at the heart of the defence during his time at Real Madrid, failing to fully win praise from fans and pundits alike. However, it should not be overlooked that Raphael Varane remains one of the leading centre-backs in world football due to his outstanding technical and leadership skills in the 1993 age group. The World Cup winner's depth of skills and experience in the game makes it possible to have a second spring in his career and deliver a number of top-level performances with the right tactical system and team-mates. Raphael Varane's intelligence, composure and precision on the pitch, combined with his outstanding positional sense and excellent headers, make him an ideal addition for any team looking to improve their defence.
Given that Raphael Varane is very likely to enter the transfer market as a free agent, many European giants must be eyeing him and throwing olive branches. The fact that there is no transfer fee makes bringing in Raphael Varane a cost-effective option, especially in the current context of the scarcity of quality centre-backs in the transfer market, clubs looking to strengthen their defensive strength will not let go of such an opportunity easily, and their future destination will inevitably lead to a new round of transfer battles.
In further coverage for Danielle Longo, he also named several high-profile midfielders including Sofyan Amrabat, Kalvin Phillips and Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, all of whom are potential midfield options for Milan. It is worth noting that Amrabat and Phillips are both owned by the well-known Stellar agency, which has a wide influence in international football and maintains a relatively close relationship with AC Milan, which has successfully managed a number of players to join the Rossoneri, such as Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Pierre Kalulu.
However, Longo pointed out that despite the convenience of co-agents, Amrabat and Phillips are not Milan's top picks in the midfield recruitment plan at this stage. Especially for Sofyan Amrabat, who is currently on loan from Fiorentina to Manchester United, despite his appearance at Manchester United, the United side do not intend to exercise the buy-out clause in the loan agreement, which means Amrabat will return to Fiorentina in Serie A at the end of the current season.
Fiorentina are reported to be open to Amrabat's future and are willing to start transfer talks with other clubs over the Moroccan international. Amrabat's current contract with Fiorentina will run until the end of June 2025, and due to his versatility, tenacity and experience and performances in Serie A, especially during his time at Verona and Fiorentina, his market value is estimated to be between €18 million and €20 million, a price point that is attractive to Milan looking to strengthen their midfield.
Tottenham's Hojbjerg, on the other hand, have also been mentioned, but there has been no substantial progress suggesting that Milan have made a move to secure the Danish international. Hojbjerg's key role in Tottenham Hotspur and his consistent performances on the international stage have made him also a hot spot in the transfer market, with Milan also interested in him.
In the coming weeks, there will be more transfer rumours and realizations surrounding Amrabat and other potential midfield targets, and Milan are likely to conduct an in-depth assessment of their midfield configuration and tangible transfer talks ahead of the summer transfer window, with a view to building a stronger squad ahead of the new season.