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6 players AC Milan should target this summer

By John Vaccaro

CHORZOW, POLAND - OCTOBER 14: Nicolo Barella of Italy during the UEFA Nations league match between Poland v Italy at the Slaski Stadium on October 14, 2018 in Chorzow Poland (Photo by Erwin Spek/Soccrates/Getty Images)
CHORZOW, POLAND - OCTOBER 14: Nicolo Barella of Italy during the UEFA Nations league match between Poland v Italy at the Slaski Stadium on October 14, 2018 in Chorzow Poland (Photo by Erwin Spek/Soccrates/Getty Images) /
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GENOA, ITALY – NOVEMBER 04: Andrea Belotti of Torino is tackled by Lorenzo Tonelli of Sampdoria during the Serie A match between UC Sampdoria and Torino FC at Stadio Luigi Ferraris on November 4, 2018 in Genoa, Italy. (Photo by Norbert Barczyk/PressFocus/MB Media/Getty Images)
GENOA, ITALY – NOVEMBER 04: Andrea Belotti of Torino is tackled by Lorenzo Tonelli of Sampdoria during the Serie A match between UC Sampdoria and Torino FC at Stadio Luigi Ferraris on November 4, 2018 in Genoa, Italy. (Photo by Norbert Barczyk/PressFocus/MB Media/Getty Images) /

Lorenzo Tonelli

I highlighted Lorenzo Tonelli as one of the players that Napoli should sell this summer and AC Milan seems like a perfect destination for him. Milan is going to be a little bit short on center backs to start the season and Tonelli could either come in as a backup to Alessio Romagnoli and Mateo Musacchio or he could potentially take over Musacchio’s starting spot. As it stands, Musacchio and Romagnoli are the only healthy center backs on the roster right now.

Mattia Caldara was brought in last summer to form the long-term center back partnership at AC Milan, but he has had horrible luck with staying healthy since he got to Milan. First, it was a bunch of less severe injuries that kept him out. Then, it was a ruptured Achilles. Now he is recovering from an ACL tear he suffered in May. That will leave him unavailable for at least the first half of the season and will likely have Milan trying to work him back into the rotation slowly to try to prevent another injury.

Tonelli helped to improve the Sampdoria defense last season during his loan and should be able to at least keep Milan’s defense at the same level if he were to start there. His transfer fee shouldn’t be too high in spite of his performance at Sampdoria.

He is already 29 years old and Napoli didn’t spend much to bring him in. Napoli might even be open to another loan for him. Either way, he perfectly fits whether he carves out a starting role or just serves as a cheap depth option. Until we know what will happen with Caldara after a season full of lower body injuries, Milan needs to keep some insurance around for their defense.

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