The January transfer window is fast approaching and at AC Milan, discussions are intensifying about where and how to strengthen a squad that, despite encouraging results, still has some clear structural gaps. It’s not just about finding a striker or a centre-back — topics already widely debated — but also about addressing, with real urgency, the midfield question, a department that could become dangerously thin during the winter session.
Comotto heading for a loan: the midfield risks running dry
Among the players most likely to leave on a temporary basis is Christian Comotto, a central midfielder who has accumulated very few minutes so far this season. The young talent, who arrived at Milan after a solid personal campaign that highlighted his significant room for growth, is struggling to find consistent space in Rúben Amorim‘s tactical plans. At the same time, Francesco Camarda is also reportedly set for a loan move to give him the playing time he needs to develop.
If Comotto were to leave, Milan would be left with just three natural central midfielders in the squad: Yunus Musah, Luka Modrić, and Comotto himself. Of course, both Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Adrien Rabiot can cover that role in a pinch, but they remain emergency options — neither player is naturally built for the central defensive midfield position.
Tackling Serie A, Coppa Italia and a European run with just three midfield options would be a considerable risk, particularly in the second half of the season when fixture congestion will put enormous physical demands on the whole squad. This is precisely why, should Comotto depart Milanello, the club’s management would be virtually obliged to bring in reinforcements in that area too.
Three priorities: defender, striker and midfielder
The January window is, by its very nature, a repair market: it lasts one month, the margins are tight and making five simultaneous deals is simply not realistic. The logic demands a focus on two or three surgical moves — the ones that can genuinely fix the mistakes made in the summer.
The priorities appear fairly clear:
- A reliable centre-back who can add defensive solidity and provide real alternatives at the back;
- A striker ready to make an immediate impact, not a talent who needs months to find his feet;
- A central midfielder, if Comotto is indeed sent out on loan.
Finding players who are immediately ready is never easy. Anyone who has a player capable of making a difference from day one tends to hold onto them — or sell only at a premium. It’s a lesson Milan’s own history has taught time and again: the January signings of Ibrahimović and Kjær in a previous winter window, moves engineered under the Maldini–Massara era, showed just how decisive the right calls at the right moment can be. That intuition became a turning point that paved the way for the Scudetto.
Endrick: loan only? Real Madrid won’t let go
One of the hottest names doing the rounds is Endrick, the Brazilian forward currently at Real Madrid, who has been repeatedly linked with Milan in recent weeks. The issue, however, is that the Madrid hierarchy does not appear willing to relinquish control over the player: a reported valuation of €60 million might look like an open door, but in reality the Spanish giants are only willing to discuss a loan arrangement, without allowing the player to slip permanently out of their grasp.
Is it worth Milan’s while to take Endrick for just six months? Thinking in terms of squad depth and immediate competitiveness, the answer might well be yes: having a player of that calibre — even temporarily — adds quality, creativity and unpredictability to the attack. Better to have him than not, at least until a permanent solution materialises. For the full picture on this developing story, read our in-depth piece on Endrick and his openness to leaving Real Madrid.
The Bruges saga: same old story?
The other hot topic involves Club Brugge and their forward Christos Tzolis. The issue, by now well known, is that negotiating with the Belgian club invariably proves to be an uphill battle: in recent dealings, Milan have struggled considerably to close agreements, often ending up paying more than anticipated or wasting precious time. The risk with Tzolis is that the same script repeats itself — an entire January spent at the negotiating table only to end up spending far more than planned. A dynamic already explored in detail in our dedicated article.
It may be wiser to explore alternative avenues and target profiles that offer greater certainty — both in terms of the negotiation itself and the player’s immediate impact on the team.
Cardinale promises an aggressive transfer window: the moment of truth
Setting the tone for expectations is Gerry Cardinale himself, the Milan owner, who in a recent interview with outlets including Corriere della Sera, Gazzetta dello Sport and Repubblica openly declared his intention to pursue an aggressive transfer strategy. The message is loud and clear: after two consecutive seasons without Champions League football, a third year outside Europe’s elite competition would be nothing short of a disaster — in sporting, financial and reputational terms alike.
Milan currently sit in the race for a top-four finish, oscillating between third and fifth place with no mathematical certainty of a Champions League berth. It is precisely this positional instability that makes a meaningful January intervention not just desirable, but necessary. The club’s management — with the sporting director working across every front — is reportedly already in close contact with Amorim to map out priorities: who to bring in, who to loan out and who stays to grow within the group.
The work ahead is not straightforward, but all the ingredients are in place. This time, Cardinale’s words must be followed by concrete action.
