Milan have reportedly laid eyes on Lille duo Sven Botman and Tiago Djalo as they look to sign a replacement for Simon Kjaer. As reported by journalist Rudy Galetti, the San Siro chiefs are on the lookout for a new defender to fill the void left by the Denmark international’s injury.
Kjaer has picked up a season-ending injury against Genoa in midweek. After undergoing surgery on Friday, the experienced centre-back is expected to remain on the sidelines until the end of the season, handing Stefano Pioli a sizeable headache.
Since joining the club in January 2020, the 32-year-old has grown into one of the most influential players on the team. With Kjaer now out of the picture, Milan will face an uphill task of finding a suitable replacement for a man who turned a leaky backline into a stronghold on his own.
Several names have emerged in the wake of Kjaer’s injury. In addition to a couple of domestic solutions, including Fiorentina’s Nikola Milenkovic and Lazio’s Luiz Felipe, Paolo Maldini and Ricky Massara are monitoring the two Ligue 1 stars.
Botman and Djalo have ended up on Milan’s shortlist following their eye-catching showings at Lille over the past couple of years. The former is no stranger to Serie A’s interest, with Atalanta trying to lure him away from France back in the summer. However, Lille’s €35m asking price blew La Dea out of the water.
Botman could still end up moving to Italy, with Milan now in the race for his signature. In the meantime, Djalo could be another option for the Rossoneri. The up-and-coming Les Dogues defender has less than three years left to run on his contract and could be available for around €20m.