Milan continues its efforts to secure Markus Krösche and Timmo Hardung from Eintracht Frankfurt to overhaul its technical area, despite resistance from the Bundesliga club. Contacts between the parties were ongoing as of yesterday, according to reports in the Italian press, following an initial approach after the departure of several key figures on May 25th. Milan is hoping Frankfurt will soften its stance with a negotiated compensation package, but currently, there are no encouraging signals from Germany.
Krösche and Hardung have reportedly already agreed to the proposal from Milan, and have indicated Ruben Amorim as their preferred choice for head coach, aligning with other candidates evaluated by the Milan ownership. However, Eintracht Frankfurt is hesitant to lose its technical director and sporting director in late June, citing disruption to their own pre-season planning. The club’s concerns extend beyond financial considerations and reportedly include dissatisfaction with Milan’s approach to initiating contact.
Should Milan fail to secure the services of Krösche and Hardung, owner Gerry Cardinale is considering alternative options, including Devin Ozek, a 31-year-old recently with Fenerbahçe and previously an assistant to Simon Rolfes at Bayer Leverkusen, where he contributed to the team that won the Bundesliga under Xabi Alonso. An Italian agent has reportedly re-submitted Ozek’s candidacy to Milan, though he is also attracting interest from other foreign clubs. Cardinale currently does not have a clear frontrunner beyond Krösche.
In the interim, Milan is supporting incoming coach Amorim with its existing structure. Massimo Calvelli has assumed some of the responsibilities previously held by former CEO Giorgio Furlani, while Jovan Kirovski, Donato Lomonte, and data analyst Bobby Gardiner are also playing key roles. Amorim has begun providing input on potential squad reinforcements, and the club is working to identify suitable players. The situation highlights Milan’s delayed start to its pre-season planning, and the club recognizes the need to accelerate its efforts to strengthen the squad before the transfer window closes.
