Here we go folks. Your 2023/24 transfer report card for Milan. Each player followed by cost, where they came from and stats for the year. A note on the grades: I did not solely take into account the players performance for the year, but also what needs they filled and how I expect the transfer to turn out over time.
We laid out the list in order of minutes played, in descending order, as of the time of this writing. Stats are across all competitions from Transfermarkt.us. So without further ado…let’s get to grading!
Summer Signings
Tijjani Reijnders
Tijjani Reijnders
25yo AZ ALKMAAR 19M
3 g 4 a 3599 minutes
Going into the summer we knew it would be a while ’til Bennacer was back from his knee injury. At least one midfielder was needed. Then to start the summer we sold Sandro Tonali. Make that 2 midfielders. So who did we sign? Rudolph the Rednose Reindeer out of the Dutch League? At least that’s what we called him in the beginning. I knew that he played for Alkmaar who had made it to the Conference League semifinals. That was about it. Highlights showed a sleek mid able to glide through the midfield and distribute. That’s exactly what we got. Stepped in day 1 and grabbed hold of a starting spot.
He’s tied for the team lead in appearances and is 3rd in minutes. He’s had to play with at least 5 midfield partners and handled it with aplomb. On a more goal strapped team he probably would have got forward more but he didn’t have to. With a new coach his role might change a bit. Under a Sarri he could easily be Luis Alberto. Ticks all the boxes of what we needed.
GRADE: A
Christian Pulisic
Christian Pulisic
25yo CHELSEA 20M
13 g 9 a 3341 minutes
Absolute home run from the get go. The RW spot has been such a revolving door the last few years it was such a relief to have it settled so easily and so well. From the first summer friendly ’til now he’s been rock solid. He’s tied for the team lead in appearances. While playing mostly RW he’s also appeared at both CAM and LW as well. His understanding with Leão got better and better as the year went on. When they were clicking we were at our best. The width he kept also made room for both RLC and Giroud to operate.
I never really appreciated what all he could do ’til I watched him week to week. A very intelligent footballer. So to sum it up at a get price he filled a desperate need, filled it to perfection and could be here for several years to come.
GRADE: A+
Ruben Loftus-Cheek
Ruben Loftus-Cheek
28yo CHELSEA 18M
10 g 2 a 2860 minutes
I honestly wasn’t sure what to expect with him. I knew he had played multiple midfield spots so that made sense for a team that sold Tomali and would be missing Bennacer for a while. Ideally he could slot in anywhere in there. Pioli settled on playing him at AM, where he usually prefers guys with size and grit over real attackers. He was a natural progression from Kessie. A little less steel but more skill. He slotted in pretty seamlessly.
Rather than an AM he was more of a second striker alongside Giroud. For the first 4-5 months he was a perfect fit. 10 goals from that spot is more than we’ve gotten in years. I don’t think anyone expected that. As time wore on and Giroud’s form fell off his space vanished and so did the goals. Also, you really need a better ball handler in that spot that can beat people 1v1. That’s not really his game.
Going forward I think he’s more of a mid. He’d be great in a 433. A solid signing that filled a need at a solid price that has the versatility to play for any coach.
GRADE: B+
Yunus Musah
Yunus Musah
21yo VALENCIA 20M
0 goals 2 assists 2072 Minutes
Musah was an interesting get for Milan. He played RW for Valencia but spent most of his time as a DM for the USMNT. A strange combo that made him a bit of a mystery.
After a season of watching him play in multiple spots including on the wing, midfield and even some right back, his future remains unclear. To my eyes I think we have a work horse DM in the Kessie or Amrabat mold. Also at 20 years old there’s tons of room to grow into a Kante type that covers acres of ground and distributes. That also makes him the perfect compliment for either Adli or Reijnders in the pivot or maybe even both in a 3 man midfield. The price already seems more than fair. At his age with his tool set his ceiling could be sky high.
GRADE: B
Samuel Chukwueze
Samuel Chukwueze
24yo VILLAREAL 20M
3 g 3 a 1334 minutes
The history of Serie A transfers is littered with guys that took a season before really exploding on the scene. For a while it looked like Chukwueze was gonna be that guy. His first few appearances he looked lost, especially defensively. Those that don’t know the game see guys score goals and think guys must be good. It’s much more than that. Especially in Milan’s 4231. The wings MUST WORK. It took Leão 2 years to really be playable. I think Chukwueze is headed along the same path though I think he might be a bit ahead of schedule. Leão went from 6 to 7 to 14 goals in his first 3 years. I think Chuk could easily hit double digits next year, especially in a more favorable 433.
His explosiveness is off the charts and his 1v1 skills are top notch. A better RB and more settled midfield will give him that freedom to operate. Keep in mind though he’s actually older than Leao. So time is of the essence.
GRADE: B… but could be an A by Christmas.
Luka Jovic
Luka Jovic
26 yo FIORENTINA FREE
9 g 1 a 1147 minutes
Came on a free to backup Giroud but also to probably get a big contract somewhere. Succeeded on both counts. Most of his minutes were as a sub or in rotation but he made the most of his time. A goal every 120 minutes. More than a few of those either rescued draws or won games late. Filled a gaping need and did a job. Probably gonna go elsewhere for more playing time and more money.
GRADE: B
Noah Okafor
Noah Okafor
23yo RB SALZBURG 14M
6 g 2 a 856 minutes
Like Pulisic and Chukwueze another signing to bolster the attack. Love his work rate and movement. Love that no matter what time he got he came in like a house on fire. He can play on the wing but also has a spot as a striker in a 433. Brings great pressure. FUN FACT: 5 of his 6 goals this year either tied or won games for us. Also a goal every 140 minutes. You gotta love that.
GRADE: B+
Marco Sportiello
Marco Sportiello
31yo ATALANTA FREE
5 starts 4 wins 1 Draw 2 clean sheets
Stayed healthy enough to be there when we needed a backup. At 31 you would think it’s possible another team in the league might be interested in him. Otherwise I’m more than happy to have him as a backup. Been a long time since we had this level of a backup keeper. Just another sign that this group knows what they’re doing.
GRADE: B
Luka Romero
Luka Romero
19yo LAZIO FREE
155 minutes
Will probably be fun to watch again in friendlies this summer. Will talk more about him in the loanee post.
GRADE: INCOMPLETE
Chaka Traore
Chaka Traore
19yo PRIMAVERA
2 goals 101 minutes
5 goals across all comps including the Primavera. Not bad.
GARDE: INCOMPLETE
Marco Pellegrino
Marco Pellegrino
21yo PLATENSE 3.5M
68 minutes
Depth CB signing. We’ll discuss him in the loanee post.
GRADE: C
Filippo Terracciano
Filippo Terracciano
21yo HELLAS 4.5M
59 minutes
To be fair started 14 games and played 1295 minutes for Hellas before a January move to Milan. He was mostly an understudy for Theo as Theo basically never comes off the field. I’m sure we will see more of him through the summer and into next year. In retrospect surprising Milan didn’t just leave him at Hellas on loan?
GRADE: INCOMPLETE
Lapo Nava
Lapo Nava
20yo PRIMAVERA
0 minutes
3rd choice keeper.
GRADE: INCOMPLETE
Wrap Up
That’s a total of 46 goals and 23 assists brought in during the last window. That’s more than half our total team goals (90). Every gap in the attack from last spring was filled and the attack has been refreshed for years to come. I’d have to jump in my DeLorean to find out for sure but i believe this is the most productive Milan transfer window of all time. If it’s not the best transfer window Milan has ever had then it certainly has to be near the top.
Cheers
Lisi