Milan underwent a significant summer overhaul following a nightmarish defending campaign in 2022/23. A raft of new signings intended to reignite Rossoneri’s Scudetto chances walked through the San Siro’s doors in one of the club’s liveliest transfer windows in the post-Silvio Berlusconi era.
What started like a disaster when Milan reluctantly sold Sandro Tonali to Newcastle United proved one of the most exciting recruitment campaigns in the club’s recent history. As many as ten new players arrived in Lombardy, leading the Rossoneri fans to believe this could be a comeback season.
While some newcomers, such as Tijjani Reijnders, Christian Pulisic, and Ruben Loftus-Cheek, have hit the ground running since the get-go, others have largely failed to live up to expectations. Luka Romero and Marco Pellegrini are still ‘green,’ and it’s no surprise Milan coach Stefano Pioli has barely used them.
Noah Okafor has shown occasional flashes of his talent, but injuries have prevented him from picking up momentum. Except for a horrendous performance against Lecce, Yunus Musah has had a decent start to life in Serie A. As it looks, the two could be the future of Milan.
However, Milan might have already come to regret two pieces of business.
Samuel Chukwueze
Samuel Chukwueze’s future was one of the major talking points in the summer. Numerous clubs in Europe’s top-five leagues were keen on the Nigerian winger. But he turned down all approaches to sign for Milan following an impressive five-year stint at Villarreal.
Thirteen rounds into the new campaign, the 24-year-old has yet to score or assist. Charles De Ketelaere all over again? Like in the case of the Belgian forward, Milan spent plenty of time and money to lure Chukwueze to the San Siro.
After picking apart La Liga defenses for years, the left-footed winger moved to Milan with high expectations. Whether it’s a language barrier or the pressure of playing for a top team, Chukwueze’s early days in Serie A have been an unmitigated disaster.
Milan desperately needed him to step to the plate against Fiorentina. With Rafael Leao out injured and Olivier Giroud suspended, Pioli hoped Chukwueze could wind back the clock and remind world football of his glory La Liga days. Instead, he did more harm than good, losing possession almost effortlessly time and time again.
There’s still time for him to bounce back, but the start is far from promising.
Luka Jovic
Chukwueze is at least trying. Luka Jovic had his hand in Milan’s first-half winner on Saturday night, dispatching Theo Hernandez into space, which led to a match-winning penalty. But his lackluster approach nearly returned to haunt Milan as he spurned a massive chance to make it 2-0, showcasing his dismal finishing again.
Let’s face it – Jovic was an emergency signing. Desperation crept in as the transfer window was nearing the deadline, with Milan unable to find an alternative to Giroud. Mehdi Taremi was out of reach, Jonathan David was too expensive, and Divock Origi was already part of the club’s history.
Pressured by the clock, Milan made a panic call, completing Jovic’s arrival overnight. It felt wrong from the start, especially considering the Serbian’s rough time at Real Madrid and an equally disappointing spell at Fiorentina. Maybe loaning out Lorenzo Colombo was a mistake.
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