Milan could add to their midfield options in the January transfer window despite signing Youssouf Fofana from Monaco in the summer. According to Italian journalist Nicolo Ceccarini, Paulo Fonseca’s men ‘really like’ Torino talisman Samuele Ricci.
Ricci climbed through the ranks at Empoli before switching to Torino in 2022. In Turin, he has established himself as a senior star in Serie A. The 23-year-old helped his side secure a decent-looking 9th-place finish last term en route to breaking into the Italy national team.
Heavily favored by Luciano Spalletti, he made two eye-catching appearances against France and Israel in September. After losing Sandro Tonali to Newcastle United last summer, Milan need an Italian face in their team, and Ricci fits the bill.
But Torino won’t let their standout midfielder go without a fight. President Urbano Cairo will likely ask for a substantial transfer fee to cut Ricci loose. Milan cannot afford another lucrative signing in January after investing heavily over the summer.
With Torino likely to demand a similar figure to the one they received from Napoli for Alessandro Buongiorno, Milan may have to be patient. Fonseca has thus far mostly relied on Tijjani Reijnders and Fofana to form the midfield partnership at San Siro.
However, Milan could use more depth in the engine room. Ismael Bennacer has been prone to injuries, while Ruben Loftus-Cheek is better performing in more advanced roles. If they can sell the Algerian in January, there would be a chance for Ricci to switch to the Rossoneri colors.
Leave a Reply