AC Milan's substitutes have scored a whopping 13 goals this season, a statistically high enough to rank first among all teams in Europe's top five leagues. It is clear that the Rossoneri have significantly improved bench depth compared to the past two seasons, and the team has more technical and tactical options in the attacking side of the pitch.
One of the most notable is Swiss international Okafor, who joined from RB Salzburg last summer, and has scored five goals for the Rossoneri this season. What's even more interesting is that as long as he scored in the game, AC Milan won the game, which can be called the team's lucky boy.
However, in terms of results, Pioli's side have not been able to surprise the club and their fans. This is by no means satisfactory, and it is an indisputable fact that the Rossoneri will need to make a major change this summer. Unless manager Stefano Pioli can bring the club a title on the Europa League stage and try to finish in the top two in Serie A, his fate will most likely be the end of his four-year adventure at the San Siro.
In the first 27 Serie A rounds, AC Milan have conceded as many as 32 goals, an average of more than one goal per game, and are the worst defensive performance of any team in the top 10 outside of Roma. The club's management has long been unhappy with this kind of defense, and the team's defence will inevitably undergo adjustments.
The Danish veteran Kjaer's contract expires this summer, and as he gets older and his running ability declines, his form and peak have dropped significantly. Coupled with Gabia's almost impeccable performance this season after returning from loan, and the likes of Tomori, Jiafu and Kalulu are all on the rise, don't forget that there is also Mickey Jr. in the reserve team, AC Milan has left him with very narrow living space, and a peaceful breakup is the best ending.
Frenchman Olivier Giroud's form may be different, but the player could accept an offer from across the ocean to continue his career in Major League Soccer after this summer's European Championships. AC Milan desperately need to find a suitable replacement in the forward position and are willing to spend tens of millions of dollars on it.
However, the departure of the Rossoneri's key players may be more worrying for fans than the investment in recruitment, as a situation similar to last summer's sudden departure of Tonali could be repeated. Rafael Leao, Te'o and Maignan are all highly sought after in the transfer market, and the RedBird Group has not ruled out accepting an offer of a deal if a lucrative ** is received.
According to reports from Europe**, there could be a major swap deal between Bayern and AC Milan. The Germans have shown keen interest in both Te'o and Maignan at the heart of the Rossoneri's defence, seeing them as the right man for Alphonso Davies and Manuel Neuer. At the same time, they also have the right to buy back AC Milan's key target Zirkze from Serie A side Bologna, intending to use his recall to the Allianz Arena as a bargaining chip to push the talks with the Rossoneri management forward.