Yahoo Sports Vitiello: The late business Milan must do to show they ‘really want to improve’
With one week to go until the transfer window closes, AC Milan have made one signing: Kyle Walker. Antonio Vitiello has stressed that this is not enough.
While no head coach is probably ever fully satisfied with the squad that they have, the gaps in Milan’s are obvious for all to see including Sergio Conceicao. The midfield is stretched, there is no proper deputy left-back and the goals have dried up from the strikers.
The signing of Walker from Manchester City has been the only incoming move so far. While he brings with him a lot of experience and trophies on his CV, there are already several right-backs on the books while more pressing needs remain untouched.
Santiago Gimenez seems to openly want a move to Milan but up to now the directors are yet to convince Feyenoord to sell. Their plans to play him against Lille suggest that a deal is not close, either.
Speaking in his weekly column for MilanNews, Vitiello addressed the issue of Milan’s winter transfer window and why simply the signing of a striker in addition to Walker would not fix everything.
“With just under a week to go before the end of the WINDOW, the only purchase that Milan has made is Kyle Walker. A great full-back, an important reinforcement especially in terms of experience and leadership, but certainly not a priority for Sergio Conceição’s team,” he said.
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“The concept expressed by Ibra is understandable: ‘It was an opportunity that we couldn’t miss, better to have him than not to have him’. And we all agree. But perhaps it was necessary to start with what the team needed, go in order of importance, and then close with the cherry on top, Walker.
“Instead, a few hours before the market closes (February 3 at midnight), Milan has only made the Englishman official. What’s missing? We’ve been saying for at least two months, well in advance of the opening of the January transfer window, that the Devils need a striker and a deputy for Fofana.
“For now, no one has arrived, so we’ll wait for the next few hours to see if the management will be able to close for Santiago Gimenez, it would be the big move on the Italian market, but we’re also aware of Feyenoord’s resistance. The Rossoneri need to raise their offer a lot to convince them, there aren’t many other alternatives.
“So let’s go back to the same concept. If Milan closes for two players in the next few hours, they will have shown that they really want to improve things. On the contrary, if no one arrives, it means they have wasted another transfer window, without improving the squad.
“And it would be a mortal sin not to strengthen this team, in a difficult season where in the championship there is a risk of not entering the top 4 positions (or five, depending on the results of the Italian teams in Europe).”
