Milan opened their 2022 in style with a sounding win over Jose Mourinho’s Roma. Despite missing several players due to Covid and the upcoming AFCON, the Rossoneri took another step forward in their long-lasting chase to the top heights of Italian football.
Milan will now crash with Venezia on January 9 in the next Serie A matchday. The match’s odds of ending up as a draw are 29/10, Venezia’s odds of winning are 9/2, while Milan’s odds of winning are 11/20. Smart fans are already getting insights about the match on their favorite sports betting app in readiness for the big day.
Once the start of the year tour de force is over, the Rossoneri will have to deep dive in the transfer market to reinforce their roster for both the short and the long term. Despite their good results so far, Stefano Pioli has to make a few adjustments to make up for injuries if he wants his side to be a title contender until the end.
Here are four players that Milan have been rumored to be looking at signing.
Andrea Belotti
With Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Olivier Giroud both prone to injuries due to their age, Milan have shown interest in having Andrea Belotti from Torino. However, Newcastle United are ready to rival them in pursuing the Torino forward as Eddie Howe is looking for options to strengthen his attacking force in the January transfer window already. Next summer, Belotti will be a free agent and one can expect a tough competition between the Rossoneri, the Magpies and perhaps even some other suitor to secure the Azzurri striker’s services.
Issa Diop
The Italian sleeping giants are reportedly interested in making a move to sign the West Ham star this January already. Milan are eyeing an action on Issa Diop to strengthen their defense force, whose heart needs reinforcement as Simon Kjaer will miss out on the remaining season after suffering an ACL injury. At 24-year-old, the Frenchman could be a good investment for the future and also contribute to fill in the hole at center back until the end of the season.
Marco Asensio
Milan have also spotted Marco Asensio as one of their key targets for this transfer market window. The Rossoneri seem willing to offer £35 million to secure the Real Madrid forward. Marco Asensio has withstood a roller coaster ride since joining Real Madrid in July 2015. His spell sprouted after sustaining a long-term knee injury.
The Spanish International has demonstrated signs of resurgence in recent weeks despite blowing hot and cold in the last 18 months. His status as a rotation option will make him seek a departure from Real Madrid.
Samu Castillejo has been sub-par in his stint with Milan and, while Alexis Saelemaekers has shown a lot of promise in the last few seasons, bringing Asensio to the team will add competition for Alexis to serve Milan better.
Hakim Ziyech
Another option for Milan to improve their attacking midfield is Hakim Ziyech. Landing the Chelsea starlet will not be easy as the slumbering giants need to fight off Borussia Dortmund, who are also interested in him. Based on projections, Stefano Pioli has genuine hope of finishing ahead of other Italian giants but he has to make some moves to cement his fierceness in the season. Ziyech seems to fit the bill.
Signing the Moroccan would be a good move for both parties, as Ziyech has failed to get regular playing time at Chelsea so far. He has had an irregular form and is often being played out of position at Thomas Tuchel’s team. Milan could be a good stage for him to redeem himself as he helps the Rossoneri in their chase to the Serie A title.