AC Milan won the Serie A for the first time after the 2010/11 season on 22nd May 2022 after a scintillating title race with Inter. Despite injury concerns in their backline, the Rossoneri managed to secure the title. Matteo Gabbia was not a regular first-team player but played his part in the league’s success. He served as a backup for Pierre Kalulu and Fikayo Tomori in the absence of senior defender Simon Kjaer.
It is reported that Stefano Pioli has asked the club management to not sell or loan Matteo Gabbia. This comes in light of the failed transfer approach for Sven Botman. AC Milan wanted to sign the defender for a long time, however, the defender chose to sign for Newcastle United instead.
Matteo Gabbia wants regular football next season
The 22-year-old defender has not been able to establish himself as a first-choice defender at San Siro. As a result, Matteo Gabbia is looking to seal a move away from the Rossoneri to play regular football. The central defender has attracted interest from multiple Serie A clubs. Most notably, Sampdoria is looking to sign the defender from Milan.
Matteo Gabbia will serve as a replacement for the outgoing Maya Yoshida for Sampdoria. The manager of Sampdoria, Marco Giampaolo, has made Gabbia a priority transfer target for the club. Sampdoria is an ideal destination for the defender since they have promised him regular first-team football in a bid to lure the player.
What are the options for AC Milan in central defense?
Pierre Kalulu and Fikayo Tomori were usually used as the center-backs in the second half of the last season. Simon Kjaer suffered a knee injury against Genoa in December 2021 which ruled him out for at least six months. The only other central defenders were Matteo Gabbia and Alessio Romagnoli. The aforementioned players served as backups to the two first-choice defenders.
Romagnoli is expected to leave the club after his contract expired at the end of June 2022. The failed transfer of Sven Botman from Lille has raised concerns. As a result of the failed transfer, Milan is short of defensive options heading into the new season.
The Manager seems to have blocked the exit for young Centre-Back Matteo Gabbia in an attempt to maintain squad depth. The club hierarchy will also seek to reopen negotiations with Alessio Romagnoli with a view to renewing his contract for another season. However, a disagreement regarding wages for the player has made the deal complicated. AC Milan is now looking at cheaper alternatives to reinforce the backline to free up funds for Romagnoli’s renewal.
