Milan are monitoring less expensive targets in case Sven Botman joined Newcastle United or PSG, or if they simply decided not to make a splash in the defense. Malick Thiaw was already on their radar in January, and there have been new contacts with Schalke 04, Corriere dello Sport informs.
Director Rouven Schroeder told Bild (via Onefootball).
“Malick is very appreciated in Serie A, as he is a young and very strong center-back. He has a long-term contract with us and we are happy with him. However, we are ready to evaluate the situation. The Rossoneri inquired about him six months ago, and they are a top-level club.”
Bologna and Torino have also expressed interest in him, the publication informs. The 20-year-old could move for €8/10M. That could be the fee also for Montpellier’s Maxime Esteve, who made his Ligue 1 debut last season and tallied 24 appearances. Instead, Mattia Viti is likely pricier since multiple sides are after him, TuttoSport informs. Francesco Acerbi is at the bottom of the list but is a possibility too. The veteran could return almost for free and settle for a backup role, the publication informs.
Our Take on Milan Tracking Fallbacks for Their Defense
If the reports about their budget were accurate, the Rossoneri would have to choose carefully where to invest. With Pierre Kalulu blossoming in 2022 and Simon Kjaer returning from injury, one could argue that the rearguard should not necessarily be their top priority. It is also true that Botman would take it to another level. They will probably bring in a left-footed player to round out their corps. That makes Esteve and Viti more likely than the other options. Instead, it would be surprising if they went after Acerbi. The Lazio center-back makes more sense for Inter or Juventus.