Mistakes, bad luck and chances: Milan's never-ending search for alchemy in midfield

At the start of the summer transfer window, the restructuring of the midfield department was at the top of the to-do list for many AC Milan fans and probably also for management.

Milan's defensive performance was the big problem in the 2023/24 season, but it felt that this was partly due to the team being far too open due to a lack of balance in midfield and the absence of a more defensive presence in transition.

So, as they planned for life under new head coach Paulo Fonseca, talk of a “midfield overhaul” was no doubt echoing through the walls of Casa Milan. Many players were named as targets from the first day of the summer, but on the other hand, current squad members were also being weeded out.

So where does Milan's midfield stand now that the transfer window is over, three games have been played and there has been good news and bad news since then?

A monumental farce

We have to start with the most obvious topic of conversation: Ismael Bennacer's situation. Back to the beginning of the summer, there were doubts about his place in Fonseca's “new Milan” because Saudi Arabia had reportedly expressed interest and the club wanted to listen to some offers.

There were no offers, so the former Empoli player traveled to the USA for pre-season training. As the games went by and the first game of the season approached, it actually seemed as if he was determined to stay.

In fact, the Algerian midfielder ultimately stayed with the Rossoneri and was even included in the UEFA squad for the first half of the Champions League – but all this after a transfer window ending that left everyone nervous.

In addition to the strong interest from a Saudi club that lasted practically the entire summer, Atletico Madrid and Marseille also asked about a loan on deadline day, but in the end no agreement was reached as Milan wanted to sell him permanently.

He did not train at Milanello for several days, not because of an injury but because of interest from other clubs. He did not even take part in the trip to the match against Lazio, officially because of a gastrointestinal illness, but he had trained the day before.

Milan's handling of Bennacer was such that Fonseca and the staff were faced with the task of re-motivating him psychologically after bringing him back from the scrap heap they had thrown him into.

However, there are many games on the agenda in a busy schedule and it was therefore in everyone's interest to get Bennacer in top form. But during the international break, Murphy's Law struck.

During a training camp with his national team, Bennacer suffered a grade III calf injury that is expected to keep him out of action for at least two months, and could be even longer, as tests by the Milan medical team are still pending.

Since December 2020, the 26-year-old missed over 400 days due to injuriesalthough this is largely due to the serious knee injury he sustained in the Champions League match against Inter, which kept him out of action for almost a year.

During that time, he missed 65 games for various reasons. He had hamstring problems twice, once with his ankle and once with his abductors, and he had to undergo two surgeries: one on his foot and the other for his previously mentioned hamstring injury.

Perhaps this injury history alone is reason enough for clubs not to make firm offers, but following the Bennacer saga over the summer provided strong evidence that management never quite knew what they wanted to do with him.

An incomplete puzzle

Given the current state of football and the ever-looming shadow of Financial Fair Play, managers can be judged on the sales they make as well as the signings they make, particularly at Serie A clubs where player trading plays such a large role.

As mentioned at the beginning of the article, Milan had to let go of several midfield players who were not part of Fonseca's plans, but two in particular stood out: Tommaso Pobega and Yacine Adli.

Admittedly, no one expected that half of Europe would pick up the phone to call Geoffrey Moncada and start negotiations for one of the two players, as both have struggled to play regularly over the last two seasons and have shown their limitations.

The end result, however, is far from ideal. Pobega ended up joining Bologna on loan with an option to buy, while Adli joined Fiorentina in the same vein and made an immediate impression. with an assist on his debut.

This means that the Rossoneri have actually managed to “reduce” the midfield and at the same time they have sent two players to clubs with European ambitions without getting any guaranteed money in return. Situation of Alexis Saelemaekers could therefore repeat itself.

Then there are the players who were talked about but never arrived, and again there are two names that stood out in the newspaper columns: the French duo Manu Kone and Adrien Rabiot.

Kone is a player Moncada is known to have been a fan of since at least 2021 when he was at Toulouse, and he announced at the beginning of the summer that he wanted to leave Borussia Mönchengladbach, so an opportunity presented itself.

Milan's move for the 23-year-old came right at the end of the Mercato and was dependent on Bennacer's departure. A one in, one out policy is understandable when Youssouf Fofana had already arrived, but one has to wonder if signing Kone and clearing the UEFA squad list on the fly might not have been a better option, as that would have potentially brought other problems.

Then there is the Rabiot saga, which has been confusing to say the least. The generally accepted version of events, based on numerous reliable sources, is that Milan entered into talks back in the summer when his departure from Juventus was confirmed, and then they tried again later As we reported, again at a time when Bennacer's departure seemed more likely.

The former PSG player is still out of contract and yet the Diavolo are no longer being considered, apparently because they have learned that his demands are too high. Wasn't that also the case two months ago?

There are few complaints about the Fofana signing, but all of this leaves fans wondering if he alone is enough to keep the balance. The results of the first three games (granted, he has only started one) suggest that this is not the case.

The continued use of the double six and the even more offensive formation of the 4-2-3-1 with a pure playmaker led to the same worrying signs: the different departments are far apart, many counterattacks are allowed and there is a feeling that every loss of the ball can be fatal.

The chance to shine

Bennacer's injury and Fonseca's search for a winning formula in midfield could present a huge opportunity for several players, starting with those who should obviously be considered, such as Yunus Musah.

The American has been used in a variety of roles under Stefano Pioli, which may not have helped him in his search for consistency that would aid his development. A potential gap at double pivot is something he should really target if he can learn a bit more positional discipline.

Ruben Loftus-Cheek has already been used by Fonseca in tandem in front of the defence before being moved further forward to act as a “balancer”, just like Pioli. He and Fofana could form a duo that guarantees plenty of muscle and a constant desire to advance the ball by passing or dribbling.

What could be other solutions? As strange as it may sound, one way to adapt to the loss of a midfielder could be to include another in the starting line-up and try to create some balance by playing with a three-man midfield rather than a double six.

Pundits and fans everywhere are clamoring for Fonseca to add an extra player who can shield the defence. On paper, Fofana's position deeper between two mezzala players like Reijnders and Musah/Loftus-Cheek is more like a round peg in a round hole.

An attacking midfielder is not a luxury Milan can afford after conceding six goals in six games. Forget switching to a three-man midfield. One could even argue that an extra centre-back – as Pioli did to great effect during the crisis in early '23 – is needed to stop the bleeding.

Then there are the “wildcard” solutions, starting with Silvano Vos. He joined from Ajax in the summer for €5 million (including bonuses) and made a very impressive debut for Milan Futuro. At 19, he has already made almost 20 first-team appearances, including in European competitions.

After 45 minutes in Serie C, is he ready to make the leap? Logic says no, but emergencies can produce surprises. Vos is undoubtedly a talent with a big personality and this could be just the challenge he needs.

Kevin Zeroli is another player who seems to have the shoulders to take on the task. He was captain of the Primavera last season and is now captain of the Futuro, so he has leadership qualities and after being on the threshold of the first team for a couple of years now, this could be the moment the door opens.

Promoting teenagers does, however, bring with it certain risks that do not require detailed analysis, but the main ones are the immediate pressure of playing at a much higher level and also limited opportunities, assuming Bennacer was not often in the starting eleven before his injury.

How things stand

As with many other problems at the club, there are more questions than answers about Milan's midfield at the moment. Last season showed the importance of restructuring the midfield. That doesn't just mean signing five players, but using the resources that are available.

Yet for now, Fonseca seems to be sticking with a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Fofana being the only change in the middle. It feels a bit like the 'definition of insanity', i.e. trying the same things over and over again and expecting different results.

This puts a lot of pressure on the Frenchman and any change of heart regarding Rabiot could be interpreted as panic, especially given that he is now out of the Champions League squad. Milan have to make do with what they have and a long injury has robbed him of some of that.

Fonseca will have to experiment to find the right formula. The possibilities are there, but the search for the perfect alchemy could come at the cost of valuable time and points.