Summer 2026: Milan Rethinks Its Attack
With the Serie A season drawing to a close and the offensive numbers demanding reflection, AC Milan’s summer transfer window looks set to bring significant movement in the forward line. The Rossoneri management has already begun scrutinising the squad with a critical eye, aware that the quality leap needed to compete as true protagonists — in Italy and in Europe — runs through an attacking overhaul.
Niclas Füllkrug: The Loan Will Not Be Made Permanent
The first certainty concerns Niclas Füllkrug. The Colombian striker, on loan from West Ham United, will not be signed permanently: Milan will not exercise the purchase option written into the contract, set at around €5 million. A Rossoneri chapter that failed to deliver the expected impact, with just one league goal in 2026 — the decisive strike against Lecce in January — and an increasingly peripheral role in Allegri’s rotations. The club will look elsewhere for that profile.
Leão and Pulisic: The Big Summer Puzzle
The situation surrounding Rafael Leão and Christian Pulisic is far more nuanced. The Portuguese winger has long been linked with major European clubs: Milan are open to listening to offers, though no official bids have yet arrived. His stay is not guaranteed, but neither is his departure a foregone conclusion.
A mirror image for the American: Pulisic is enduring a profound scoring drought — his last league goal came on 28 December 2025 — and his future may be intertwined with Leão’s. A double departure of two key figures in the same window seems unlikely, but one of the two could well leave Milanello. The club will assess offers and the players’ own intentions.
Nkunku and Giménez: Available for the Right Price
Christopher Nkunku and Santiago Giménez are the other two names at the centre of transfer discussions. The French forward was already attracting interest in January and, should a financially appropriate bid arrive, Milan could choose to sell. For Giménez, whose last Serie A goal dates back to May 2025, there is the added context of last summer’s reported swap deal involving Artem Dovbyk of Roma — an operation that ultimately fell through. That episode hints that the Mexican striker may not be considered untouchable in the club’s long-term planning.
Who Arrives? Quality Is the Watchword
The crucial question, however, is not so much who leaves but who comes in. Offloading two or three attackers without replacing them with high-calibre profiles would be a clear strategic error. Milan needs true centre-forwards, players capable of delivering goals consistently, holding the line, and giving the attack a stronger identity — something the Allegri era has somewhat deprioritised in favour of defensive solidity.
It’s worth noting that neither Leão nor Pulisic are natural number nines: both express their best football from wide areas or withdrawn positions. Milan needs someone who occupies the box permanently, leads the line and converts chances into goals.
On the internal front, Francesco Camarda is a name to watch: the young talent currently on loan at Lecce will return at the end of the season, and the club will assess his potential integration into the first team. Another profile currently operating within Milan Futuro is also being followed closely by the technical staff, with the possibility of a step up to the senior squad next season.
Next Season: Triple Competition Demands a Stronger Attack
The 2026-27 campaign will be a defining one. Milan must tackle Serie A, the Champions League, and the Coppa Italia with a squad that cannot afford an anaemic forward line. Targeted but decisive investment will be the key to building a Milan attack that once again strikes fear into opponents. The fanbase is energised, the expectations are high — now it’s up to the management to lay the foundations for a truly competitive front line.
