Pressing, winning back and accelerating the ball and chain: this is how Youssouf Fofana punished Paulo Fonseca the last time he crossed him, Monaco-Lille 1-0 decided by Fofana himself. In the same way, today, Milan intends to move to get to the French midfielder from Monaco and put everyone on the same side starting from this summer: Paulo on the bench, Youssouf in the heart of the Devil to screen in front of the defense and push his players forward .
free field
—
The mission is possible, especially now that the field has opened up in Serie A: Juventus, Fofana’s first home rival, has turned decisively towards Kephren Thuram. For Milan, then, it’s a question of making the most of the pressing of recent months and regaining control of the game. Next step, placing the decisive shot: there are also other clubs in the running, from Atletico Madrid to the usual English ones, but Milan knows they can play at least a couple of cards.
because you can
—
The first: the fascination that the Devil and his story have on many footballers. Fofana joined the club at an unsuspecting time: “Everyone knows Milan and their list of achievements, it’s a huge club.” As he told L’Equipe, at 25 he feels that the moment is ripe to move up to the next level and become a leader: “I have the feeling of being a leader anywhere, at club and national level”. If the competition is fierce in France, which will close its group stage against Poland this evening, the Rossoneri have a project that seems tailor-made for him: Milan needs muscles and balance in the middle and would entrust Fofana with a role straight away. absolutely central. Without his teammates being able to undermine him in the hierarchies: from Reijnders to Loftus-Cheek, none of the other midfielders in the Rossoneri squad show a match-winning attitude.
accelerated
—
So watch out for the next few weeks: the contacts that have remained alive until today will be able to spark and get the negotiation off the ground. The player’s opening will have to be followed by a discussion on the salary requests, before then knocking on Monaco’s door and attempting to make an attack. At what numbers? Similar to those that Milan invested last summer for most of the reinforcements, i.e. between 20 and 25 million: in the Principality they cannot afford to go too far on the price because there is a real risk of losing their home jewel in zero in a year. The orientation is to please Fofana now, as Youssouf himself explained: “We have an agreement to take this step.”
paulo votes abraham
—
Updates on the topic always follow the same line: there is a direct and daily link between the managers and Fonseca. With Furlani, Moncada and Ibra, the new coach obviously doesn’t only talk about Fofana. The centre forward remains a very current topic. The list is long, Zirkzee remains the first candidate but with one certainty: Milan will not give in to the requests of the Dutchman’s agent and will not pay the 15 million commission requested (in addition to the 40 of the clause, which would go to Bologna). And so, among the alternative candidates, that of Tammy Abraham, leaving Roma, advances: Milan considers him an interesting profile, even as a second “9”, and Fonseca would appreciate it. The future of the other strikers currently in the Rossoneri squad remains to be seen. Jovic, fresh from a renewal, is also showing at the European Championship that he knows how to make the most of the minutes available: he could receive attention in the next transfer market. It’s more difficult to showcase Okafor: in his Switzerland, all the forwards play except him.
