Gerry Cardinale, the owner of AC Milan, has been a frequent presence at the club’s training ground, Milanello, in recent days, overseeing the arrival of new signings and assessing the current squad. According to reports in Italy, Cardinale has been actively involved in meetings with the sporting directors – Almstadt, Gardiner, Lomonte, Vergine and Kirovski – to discuss transfer strategy following the appointment of Paulo Fonseca as head coach.
Milan have already invested over €100 million in Gonçalo Ramos and Gila this summer, but the large squad size – currently exceeding 30 players – necessitates player sales. Fonseca is reportedly taking time to evaluate the existing players before sanctioning departures, but several individuals are considered peripheral to his plans. These include Rafael Leão, Fodé Ballo-Touré, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, potentially Fikayo Tomori, and possibly Niccolò Ricci, with the club also assessing interest in Juan Estupiñán.
Cardinale, who will not accompany the team on their tour of Australia and Indonesia, spent considerable time at Milanello on Tuesday, observing training and holding meetings. He even returned in the evening, reportedly staying in room 42 – a room occasionally used by former owner Silvio Berlusconi – to have breakfast with the squad this morning. This increased presence signals a more hands-on approach from Cardinale following a period of upheaval that saw the departure of several key figures in May and June.
While focusing on potential outgoings, Milan remain interested in strengthening their attacking options, particularly with a left-footed trequartista. Contacts are ongoing with the representatives of Greek talent Karetsas, who currently plays for Genk, but Borussia Dortmund are currently leading the race for his signature. A sale of Leão, who has attracted interest from Galatasaray and Fenerbahçe, could provide the funds needed to pursue Karetsas, though no concrete offers have yet been received for the Portuguese winger, with Milan seeking a fee in the region of €50-60 million.
Another potential target is Argentinian winger Mastantuono, who is set to leave Real Madrid. In addition to these targets, Milan have completed the signing of 17-year-old defender Sankhoun Diawara from Troyes for a fee of €3 million. Diawara, a 190cm left-footed centre-back, will serve as a backup to Filip Pavlovic. Milan beat competition from Rangers and Basel to secure his signature. The club has also secured the long-term future of young talents Christian Comotto and Francesco Camarda, both signing contracts that run until 2031.
