Former Juventus and Napoli forward Massimo Mauro has suggested a significant overhaul of AC Milan’s attacking options ahead of next season, singling out Rafael Leao and Christian Pulisic as players potentially nearing the end of their time at the club. Speaking to an interviewer in Milan on May 19th, Mauro indicated that only Santiago Giménez should be retained as a central attacking option for the Rossoneri.
Mauro’s assessment comes after a Serie A season where both Milan and Juventus struggled to consistently find the back of the net, a factor he believes contributed to their recent match being “an ode to boredom.” He specifically highlighted the issues with both teams’ attacking lines, suggesting a lack of consistent threat.
The former Italy international praised Giménez’s qualities, describing the Mexican forward as “tough, nasty, spiky and fast.” He contrasted this with his expectations for Leao, stating that given the Portuguese winger’s salary, he should be delivering high-level performances in 80% of matches. Mauro was less complimentary about Christopher Nkunku, stating he does not rate the French forward.
Leao has been a key player for Milan since joining from Lille in 2019, contributing significantly with goals and assists, though his consistency has been questioned at times. Pulisic arrived last summer from Chelsea and has shown flashes of brilliance, but has also faced periods of injury and fluctuating form. Giménez, signed from Feyenoord, has impressed in his debut season with Milan, becoming a regular starter and a reliable goalscorer. Nkunku joined Milan last summer from RB Leipzig, but has struggled to make a consistent impact due to injuries.
Mauro also briefly touched upon the future of Juventus manager Massimiliano Allegri, suggesting that finding a better replacement would be difficult for the Turin club. This comment was made in the context of the broader discussion about the tactical and personnel shortcomings of Italy’s top teams. The comments regarding Milan’s attack suggest a potentially busy summer transfer window for the club as they look to reshape their forward line and address their goalscoring concerns.
