AC Milan are once again dealing with an unresolved boardroom situation. In mid-June, with the summer transfer window already in full swing, the Rossoneri still lack a complete sporting structure: no technical director, no sporting director. A delay that is already weighing heavily and risks undermining the entire summer.
Coach First, Everything Else Later: A Method That Divides Opinion
The philosophy adopted by Gerry Cardinale at Milan appears, at least to outside observers, to be the reverse of established best practices in modern football. Typically, a club builds its structure from the top down: CEO first, then technical director, sporting director, and finally the head coach. At Milanello, things seem to work the other way around — the coach comes first, with Rúben Amorim now officially in place, and the sporting leadership is being built around him.
This approach inevitably creates friction: whoever eventually takes on the sporting director role will start weeks behind their counterparts at rival clubs, needing time to understand the internal organisation, build relationships with agents, and align with the coaching staff. In the summer window, every day counts.
Thiago Pinto Says No: Milan’s Search Goes On
According to journalist Gianluca Di Marzio, Milan made contact in recent weeks with Thiago Pinto, the former Roma sporting director currently working with Burnley in the Premier League. A profile with solid international experience, a well-established network in European football, and a familiarity with the Italian game. The answer, however, was a firm no.
Pinto’s refusal widens the search further. Milan now need to find at least two key figures: a technical director and a sporting director, both of whom must work in close collaboration with Amorim to build a competitive squad in extremely tight timeframes.
A Delay That Could Impact the Market and the Squad
The practical consequences of this situation risk being significant. Several players have uncertain futures, negotiations need to be opened or concluded, and contract renewals must be addressed. Without a defined sporting leadership, every decision slows down. And in a football landscape where transfer windows open and close quickly, every lost day is a missed opportunity.
The hope is that Milan can close this chapter swiftly and put in place a solid sporting structure capable of giving the Amorim project the foundations it needs. The governance puzzle at the Rossoneri must be solved urgently — the future of Milan depends, in no small part, on the decisions made in the coming days.
