AC Milan’s New Structure: A Month of Searching, Then an Internal Choice
After nearly a month of searches, meetings and potential solutions that never materialised, Gerry Cardinale has made his decision, opting for an entirely internal solution: promoting figures already within the club’s structure rather than looking elsewhere. A choice that, in many ways, speaks volumes about the complexity of the moment AC Milan is navigating at boardroom level.
At the top of the new operational hierarchy sits Andreas Almstad, promoted to director of player trading. Alongside him, as a supporting figure, is Gardiner, an internal collaborator who has spent years working in data analysis and statistical scouting. In the background, with a role that could prove decisive, stands Sérgio Amorim, the Portuguese coach brought in to lead the club into a new era.
As previously reported in our article on AC Milan’s new management structure, the decision not to appoint an external sporting director remains at the heart of the debate among fans and industry observers.
Who Is Almstad and What Does He Represent for Milan?
Andreas Almstad has been connected to the Rossoneri since 2019, when he was brought to the club by Ivan Gazidis, having previously had experience at Arsenal. In between, however, there is a chapter many remember with caution: his time as sporting director at Aston Villa in the 2015-2016 season, which ended in relegation to the Championship with the club finishing bottom of the Premier League table and going through four different managers during the campaign.
Since that difficult experience, Almstad has not held a traditional sporting director role, focusing instead primarily on statistical analysis, algorithms, big data and the financial aspects of player recruitment. Undoubtedly valuable expertise, but a far cry from the day-to-day work of a hands-on football director.
The choice of the term «player trading» for his new title is not coincidental: it clearly signals that the priority of the transfer operation is economic and financial in nature — buying and selling players in a way that generates value for the club. The purely sporting dimension takes, at least in the job title, a back seat.
The Liverpool Model: An Appealing but Risky Comparison
In recent weeks, the so-called «Liverpool model» has been repeatedly cited as the template for Milan’s new structure. It’s a seductive idea, but one that shows some cracks when the numbers are examined closely.
Liverpool is one of the wealthiest football clubs in the world, with revenues that consistently rank among the highest in Europe and a spending power on the transfer market that few can match on the continent. AC Milan, while a historic and high-profile club, operates in a completely different economic context, largely based on self-financing: to buy, you must first sell.
The player trading philosophy follows exactly this logic: sell high — as happened in the past with major operations involving internationally-profile players — and reinvest the proceeds in new arrivals. A strategy that, if managed well, can work, but one that demands precision, long-term vision and, above all, the right people in the right roles.
The Absence of a Milanello Touchstone: The Unresolved Issue
One of the most debated aspects of the current management setup concerns the lack of a strong, recognisable figure at Milanello — a reference point for the manager and players in the day-to-day life of the training ground.
This is not the first time Milan have found themselves in this situation. After the departure of Paolo Maldini and Ricky Massara, the absence of a sporting director close to the squad proved a significant gap. The arrival of Igli Tare had brought some operational order, but internal tensions quickly complicated the picture. Now the club appears to be returning to a model built around analysts and profiles more oriented towards numbers than the pitch.
Gardiner, who works alongside Almstad, is a young profile with extensive experience in statistical analysis and digital scouting. Undeniably valuable skills in the modern game, but ones that are unlikely to replace the specific weight of a director capable of speaking to a player going through a difficult time, of mediating between the dressing room and the club, of being a physical daily presence within the organisation.
Amorim: The True Balancing Act of the Rossoneri Project
In this context, the figure of Sérgio Amorim takes on even greater specific weight. The Portuguese coach will not simply be asked to set up the team tactically and pick the starting XI: he will need to be, to a large extent, the bridge between the pitch and the boardroom, managing player relationships, dressing room dynamics and the technical requirements to be communicated to the club’s leadership structure.
A role that closely resembles the Anglo-Saxon concept of a manager — as is common in the Premier League — more than the traditional Italian or European head coach. Amorim has already shown he can handle complex environments, and it is likely that his relational skills and authority will be key elements in holding together a project that is still finding its definitive shape.
Cardinale’s Role: Presence or Interference?
On the ownership front, Gerry Cardinale appears intent on carving out a more direct role in the club’s management. A development that raises legitimate questions: football history teaches us that owners with a desire for total control rarely bring stability, particularly when they lack a specific background in the sport.
The American entrepreneur has already shown a tendency to change course frequently: first the idea of appointing a Head of Football, then dropped; first confirming Allegri on the bench, then reversing that decision. Choices that, individually, might make sense, but which together convey a sense of a lack of long-term strategic vision.
AC Milan needs stability, a clear plan and coherent investment. The hope, shared by every Rossoneri supporter, is that this new organisational chart represents a solid starting point, one capable of growing and maturing over time. There is plenty of work to be done, but the history of this club shows that, in difficult moments, Milan has always found the way back.
