The new AC Milan is beginning to take shape, presenting itself to the world with a very different face than the team and club that failed to qualify for the Champions League this spring. But it will have a couple of characteristics that will serve as a common thread with a distant, successful past. Even if only in terms of appearance, not substance.
It all started over a month ago: on May 25, 2026, to be precise. That day, in the aftermath of the tragic defeat at San Siro against Cagliari, Gerry Cardinale announced in a single press release his separation from coach Massimiliano Allegri, CEO Giorgio Furlani, sporting director Igli Tare, and technical director Geoffrey Moncada. An unprecedented departure for the Rossoneri and beyond, which the RedBird boss effectively centered around himself and a figure who over time had become extremely divisive within the club: senior advisor Zlatan Ibrahimovic. But after over a month of thick fog, light seems to be filtering through to the club's intentions.
This is clear from the words that accompanied the presentation of Massimo Calvelli, the new CEO. "Since joining RedBird last year, Massimo has distinguished himself as a leader and promoter of an organizational model capable of valuing people and fostering a culture of collaboration and professionalism. The mandate is clear: we want to play to win, rather than not to lose, in everything related to AC Milan, but especially on the pitch," Cardinale promised. And his CEO stuck to his guns: "The mandate received from Gerry is clear: to bring back to AC Milan a culture of victory and results, on and off the pitch, worthy of the history this club represents in European football and its over 600 million fans worldwide." Hence the hiring of Rúben Amorim as coach and transfer strategies that already seem to follow a common thread and, above all, a logic. Precisely what had seemed to be missing from the Rossoneri in recent times.
The jewel in the crown of this phase is undoubtedly Gonçalo Ramos, a powerful 2001-born center forward who will arrive from PSG (all that's missing is his signature), bringing international experience and—hopefully—a wealth of goals to Milan. The Portuguese striker is also poised to become the club's most expensive acquisition in history, with a €70 million deal that will shatter the previous record set by compatriot Rafa Leão (who paid just under €50 million in 2019). The choice of this particular player also seems to trace a path not unheard of in AC Milan's history. The team coached by Arrigo Sacchi in the 1980s and 1990s, which won so much, was the "Dutch" team. The team that is taking shape in these weeks could seriously become the "Portuguese" team. Just like their coach, which is certainly no coincidence, but also like another personality who seems to have become even more central than in the past.
Amorim has already drawn up a shopping list that speaks heavily of Portuguese. In addition to Ramos, AC Milan could soon be joined by attacking midfielder Pedro Gonçalves or winger Francisco Trincão, both currently at Sporting, central defender Antonio Silva from Benfica, and even Tiago Gabriel from Lecce, who can play in midfield or on the right. It's clear that the new AC Milan coach has a greater understanding of his compatriots, but it's impossible not to notice that this trend began before his arrival at Milanello.
Indeed, in recent years, AC Milan has also had the disappointing João Félix in its squad, not to mention the bitter spells of Paulo Fonseca and Sérgio Conceição on the bench and, a few years earlier, the flop of André Silva. Of the six Portuguese players in AC Milan's 125-year history (Ramos is the seventh), four have been signed since 2017 alone. The new striker will be the fifth, and could be joined by other international teammates. However, Amorim isn't the only driving force behind all this. It would be shortsighted to ignore the role of Jorge Mendes, a powerful agent who has been closing numerous deals with the Rossoneri in recent years. And here the precedent doesn't point to Sacchi, but to a much more recent figure: Mino Raiola, who since 2010 has, in just a few years, dressed Mario Balotelli, Mark van Bommel, Ignazio Abate, Alessio Romagnoli, Giacomo Bonaventura, M'Baye Niang, Rodrigo Ely, the two Donnarumma brothers. And, probably first on the list, Zlatan Ibrahimovic himself. He truly seems to close the circle between present, past, and future.
Mike Maignan, goalkeeper for AC Milan and the French national team (credits: X AC Milan)
