If there is a perch where the top football clubs in Europe sit and stare down at their fellow, less successful clubs, then Inter and A.C. Milan have fallen firmly off that perch. In fact, they’ve been staring up at Europe’s elite for so long that they’ve made themselves comfortable in mediocrity.
Milan was the worse off of the duo, finishing tenth, the definition of mid-table. Inter wasn’t much better, finishing a slightly (by that much) less disappointing eighth. Gone are the likes of Andrea Pirlo, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Samuel Eto’o and Thiago Silva and arrived are the likes of Alessandro Matri and Dodo.
It would have been a national crisis if the two Genoa clubs finished ahead of the Milanese teams four or five years ago, but now, it’s reality. Genoa and Sampdoria ended the season in sixth and seventh place, ahead of both of their northern counterparts.
However, despite the poor showings in recent years and an exodus of high-quality players, the sleeping giants in Milan are starting to stir. Cash is starting to flow in northern Italy with both Milan and Inter looking to reclaim the domestic and continental glory they once achieved.
As with most things, money talks. And money is doing a fair bit of talking in Milan as of late. You could almost say that the money is running its mouth (if you follow).
A.C. Milan probably had the most work to do given their horrendous (by their own lofty standards) finish last season. The Rossoneri made its first splash, bringing in Andrea Bertolacci from Roma.
Bertolacci to bring the creativity
A creative midfielder with all kinds of pace and flare, Bertolacci cost his new club €20 million. If the midfielder can improve his shooting accuracy and convert more of his chances, that hefty fee will look more like a steal than an overpay.
The Italian will look to add his pace and flare to a group of attacking midfielders that include Giacomo Bonaventura and Keisuke Honda. The duo of Bonaventura and Honda chipped in for a combined 11 goals while Jeremy Menez contributed 16 (Milan’s only double-digit goal scorer).
The three listed players above were three of the more dangerous Rossoneri players in front of goal. While Menez’ goal output was commendable, Milan must bring in more proven goal-scorers in order to thrive… wait, they did?
A poacher going to Milan
Yes, that’s right. Milan reached an agreement with Colombian striker Carlos Bacca and look set to bring in the Sevilla striker to pair with Menez in attack. Bacca is a proven winner having won consecutive Europa League titles with his Spanish employers. Fun fact: only Messi, Neymar, Ronaldo and Antoine Griezmann scored more La Liga goals than Milan’s soon-to-be newest signing.
A player of Bacca’s quality is exactly the start that the club needs to put itself back on the map. While splurging on Bertolacci and Bacca (a reported €30 million) seems like a monumental amount of cash for an Italian team in today’s financial climate, just know that the club isn’t likely done.
The team missed out on, but was in the running for Geoffrey Kondogbia (Inter) and Jackson Martinez (Atletico). Both players cost somewhere in the neighborhood of what Milan paid for Bertolacci and Bacca, so Milan clearly has some money to throw around. A young, creative midfielder with pace and a proven goal scorer is a strong start, but Milan needs more to rejoin the elite, whether it be in Italy or in Europe.
Look for them to take more steps toward rejoining those select fraternities as the transfer window progresses. They’ve got the cash to splash.
Inter making big moves
Across town, or rather across the stadium, Inter has been busy as well. The Nerazzurri stole a march on its arch rivals, signing defensive destroyer Kondogbia away from the Rossoneri for a hefty €38 million. Kondogbia will bring a much-needed physical presence to Inter.
He immediately gives the former European champions an intriguing midfield mix. Brazilian playmaker Hernanes will likely operate with Kondogbia in the middle, while other candidates to start in midfield include Gary Medel and wunderkind Mateo Kovacic. Hernanes and Medel were recent big money transfers who signed during the last summer transfer window. So, the fact that Inter has acquired all three in such a short span only speaks to the willingness to win.
With a midfield seemingly in place as well as one of the most coveted young strikers in Europe in Mauro Icardi, Inter have now sets its sights on the defense, where they hope some high-profile additions will propel the team to greatness. Manchester United legend Nemanja Vidic arrived last season, and the club has recently signed defenseman Miranda for €15 million from Atletico Madrid to further bolster the team.
Inter wasn’t in a position to splurge this kind of money on players as of late, but it’s nice to see them once again chasing big fish in the transfer market in order to improve the team. Roberto Mancini may not have the transfer budget he had at Manchester City, but it’s clear that Inter is willing to splurge to once again be the European juggernaut of old.
Will the Milan clubs return to former glory?
A.C. Milan and Inter Milan haven’t been themselves lately. Just like someone going through a rough patch in life, the Milan teams seem to have gone through its own rough patch. That rough patch seems to be over as both are signaling their intent to return to footballing royalty with a string of big-money transfers that will only improve the team’s profile and prospects.
With the transfer window (and Milan and Inter’s wallets) only having just opened, you can bet that both Milan clubs will be linked to high-profile, big-name transfers as the summer wears on. They want to get back to that perch, and they’re willing to spend to get there.