Milan hoping for late defensive signing while Brest star hopes for move

The AC Milan management are now pinning their hopes on signing a new central defender late in the January transfer window, while Lilian Brassier hopes for developments.

This morning’s edition of La Gazzetta dello Sport (as seen below) reports that Geoffrey Moncada and his collaborators have decided not to sign a new midfielder before the window closes.

This is a decision which is largely down to Algeria’s early elimination from AFCON and the early return of Ismael Bennacer, but there will be no early returns when it comes to the central defenders who are out.

Milan are evaluating several centre-backs and are waiting for the final days of the transfer window, in the hope that one of the targeted players could arrive on loan, because other top Europeans clubs often grant opportunities that they previously denied.

Trevoh Chalobah of Chelsea is an option but he has had a lot o physical problems, Clement Lenglet is admired but costs a lot in salary and has a complicated situation given he is Barcelona-owned but on loan at Aston Villa, while Tosin Adarabioyo intrigues but is easier to get in June.

Lilian Brassier of Brest is waiting for a sign: he wants Milan and hopes that his club will lower their demands, which are currently close to €15m. A week might not seem like long, but it can be a very long time in the mercato.