AC Milan are working hard to close the most important chapter of their summer: the appointment of a new head coach. Today, Zlatan Ibrahimović, Calvelli and Oliver Glasner are set to meet, with the Austrian manager fresh from a remarkable spell at Crystal Palace, where he won three trophies in a single season — a historic feat for a club that had never won a major honour before. His track record speaks for itself.
Glasner in pole position: why the Austrian fits the bill
Glasner is no stranger to the European stage. Before Crystal Palace, the manager from Wels had already proven his worth at Eintracht Frankfurt, guiding the German side to Europa League glory in 2022. His proactive style of play, his ability to get the best out of his players and his capacity to build a clear tactical identity make him a genuinely exciting option for a club looking to rebuild with real ambition.
At this stage, Glasner appears to hold the edge over Arne Slot, the other name that has been circulating in recent days. What strengthens his candidacy further is his alignment with the footballing philosophy of Ralf Rangnick: the Austrian belongs to that school of coaches who share a modern, high-intensity approach built on pressing, organisation and a solid structural framework.
The Rangnick + Glasner tandem: a credible solution
The scenario that is gradually taking shape is that of a dual appointment: Rangnick as a key sporting figure and Glasner as first-team head coach. This combination has an internal logic, given that Rangnick has built his career on identifying and empowering top-level coaches — as evidenced by the Red Bull project across Leipzig, Salzburg and beyond.
That said, there are still knots to untangle. Rangnick remains Austria’s national team manager and will be heading to the World Cup in less than a month: juggling the demands of international football with the task of rebuilding a new Milan — covering transfers, negotiations and technical planning — is no small undertaking for a 68-year-old with the weight of a national team on his shoulders.
Arne Slot: an intriguing but difficult proposition
On the Arne Slot front, the picture looks more complicated. The Dutch coach, who led Liverpool to a title in his first season before enduring a tougher second campaign — despite a transfer outlay of nearly €400 million — commands a high salary, around €8 million per year. According to reports from England, Slot is reportedly weighing up Premier League offers rather than committing to a rebuilding project of the kind Milan currently represents.
It is worth noting that Slot knows Santiago Giménez well: the Mexican striker, now at Milan, worked under him at Feyenoord — a detail that could prove significant down the line.
The structural issue: still working in reverse
The question of Milan’s leadership structure remains very much open. More than a week after the sweeping changes at the club, Milan still lack a CEO, a sporting director and a technical director. For a club of Milan’s history and prestige, this is an unusual and uncomfortable situation.
Common sense would suggest that the boardroom should be sorted first — CEO, sporting director, technical director — and only then should the coaching appointment follow. Instead, the process is playing out in reverse: a coach is being approached before the structure around him is in place. As already noted in recent weeks, the leadership vacuum at Milan is taking its toll on the squad and on the club’s future, and every day without firm decisions risks pushing back an already delayed rebuild.
Today is the key day: exploratory chat or real negotiation?
Today’s meeting between Ibrahimović, Calvelli and Glasner will be telling. The key question: will this be an initial, exploratory conversation, or will the two sides get into the specifics of a deal? If Glasner impresses, the Rangnick + Glasner solution could be close to being finalised — a concrete step towards the Rossoneri’s renaissance that fans and insiders have been waiting for.
Milan have every ingredient to build an ambitious, winning project. What is needed now is the clarity and decisiveness to make the right calls, at the right time.
