AC Milan's January shopping list: Four positions need polishing, seven players 'applying'

AC Milan spent almost 115,000,000 this summer on seven footballers, brought three more without compensation, and financed a good part of the reinforcements with the money from the sale of Sandro Tonali. After the 8th round, it seemed that the Rossoneri were on the right course, because shortly before mid-October they were the leaders of Serie A... Not too convincing, but still leaders.

A month later, it is clear to everyone in and around the club that this summer Milan did not put together a competitive team to run a marathon with city rivals Inter for the title of Italian champion, that is, that the existing playing staff needs polishing already in January. Quite simply, Luka Jović can't budge and show that he is worthy of the jersey of the Italian great, that is, relieve Olivier Giroud, while part of Milan's wish list for the upcoming winter transfer window was shaped by injuries, primarily in the back line.

Regardless of whether the currently third-placed Serie A team, who is eight points behind the leaders Inter, will secure a European spring after the duel with Borussia Dortmund and Newcastle, the sports sector of Milan set their eyes on four positions, with more focus on a striker and a sweeper.

The giant from San Siro scored only 22 goals in a total of 15 games this season in Serie A and the Champions League, of which Giroud scored eight goals. Kudos to the 38-year-old striker, but the fact is that the Frenchman has been suffering from 'attacking loneliness' since the start of the season, that is, he would also like to recharge his batteries here and there while someone else replaces him, continuing to shake the nets in his manner. Jović has been without a goal (or assist) since arriving in the Fashion Capital, and the Rossoneri are already looking for a new attacking option after less than four months of cooperation, and their eyes are directed towards France and Germany.

The Rossoneri have two targets in Ligue 1, one in the Bundesliga. Jonathan David was interesting to Milan even when Paolo Maldini was steering the sports sector at San Siro, and the interest in the guy who finished the previous season with 24 goals scored, and in the current season delivered only two in 12 games, was renewed. Lille wouldn't mind letting him go in January, with a matching check of course - probably signed for €40,000,000. Another option is Serhou Guirassy, the goal scorer of Stuttgart who during September and October set fire not only to Germany, but also to Europe. The Guinea representative scored 15 goals in the first nine games of the season, and then he suffered a muscle injury that kept him out of the field for a month. Guirassy has a buyout clause in his contract set at 17,000,000 euros, however, the Italian Gazzetta writes that the plan is for Guirassy to leave Stuttgart only at the end of the season.

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The third target for the striker is Montpellier's 23-year-old Akor Adams. The 190-centimeter-tall Nigerian is liked by the Rossoneri because of his great physical characteristics and predispositions, and in his first half-season in Ligue 1 he has already collected seven goals in 11 appearances. Still, there isn't much logic in Adams leaving De la Mosson less than half a year after arriving.

Reinforcements are also necessary at the sweeper position because after the injuries of Pierre Kalulu and the young Argentinian Marco Pellegrino, Stefano Pioli has only three central defenders at his disposal - the standard tandem of Fikayo Tomori - Malick Thiaw and the temporary Simon Kjaer as an alternative. That's why Milan's general manager Giorgio Furlani and the first man of the sports sector, Geoffrey Moncada, look to the Premier League, no less, no more than the camps of the London giants. Milan could go for players who don't get a chance under Mikel Arteta and Mauricio Pochettino - Polish Jakub Kiwior and French Benoit Badiashile. The most realistic option for the Rossoneri would be a loan.

There could be some changes in the midfield, but also in the position of the left back. The super-talented 17-year-old from Schalke Assan Ouédraogo has been on Milan's radar for a long time, but several clubs such as Bayern, Inter, Leipzig and Arsenal are already weaving a net around the guy who has an exit clause of 12,000,000 euros. In early or mid-December, Ismael Bennacer will return to the squad, and it is not excluded that Rade Krunic will leave San Siro in January and head for Istanbul. Fenerbahçe failed to sign him this summer, but with a new offer, Milan could agree this time.

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And finally, the left back. Milan do not have an adequate, if not any, replacement for Theo Hernandez and are after Betis' Juan Miranda for a long time. The Spaniard's contract expires next summer, but he is asking the Rossoneri for 2,000,000 euros per year, which is not a small amount. And Stefano Pioli has been giving Primavera boy Davide Bartesaghi a chance in recent weeks. He has brought him on three times, but the question is whether the 17-year-old is ready for the starting line-up in Serie A when Theo is prevented from playing.