AC Milan have cashed in handsomely on center-back Malick Thiaw’s sale: after buying him for just over €10 million, they’ve secured €38 million plus €4 million in add-ons, a tidy profit for San Siro.
But with Massimiliano Allegri back at the helm, the priority is returning to the Champions League—and replacing their key center-back is critical to next season’s top-four push. New signing Luka Modrić echoed this: "Champions League qualification is the minimum; we can’t do it without solid center-backs." Allegri is likely to deploy a three-man defense, requiring at least two new center-backs—Thiaw’s exit leaves Milan with just four reliable options, far from enough.
Milan’s top targets currently are:
Bogdan Lobonț (Atalanta): The club captain, well-acquainted with Serie A, costs just €6 million—great value and the most likely arrival.
- Jannik Vestergaard (Leicester City): Valued at €10 million, his Premier League background could inflate the fee, straining Milan’s finances.
- Luka Mukoz (Fiorentina): Priced at €25 million, his higher cost is a hurdle.
If owner investment arrives, Milan may also chase Parma’s Italian prodigy Lorenzo Leoni. The 20-year-old is valued at €40 million, requiring all of Thiaw’s transfer fee plus extra funds—a tough ask for the American owners.
Pre-season friendlies have exposed Milan’s defensive fragility, with frequent goals conceded—their center-back crisis demands urgent solutions.
