Milan won’t sign a free agent to plug their holes in the back, but they’ll be in the market for a defender in January, and they have taken an interest in Maxime Esteve. Pierre Kalulu and Marco Pellegrino just went down with serious injuries. Mattia Caldara is hurt too, leaving them with just three options.
According to TuttoSport, their directors have been keeping an eye on the French youngsters for a few years. They considered him before signing Malick Thiaw.
Milan remain keen on Esteve even though he’s not having a great season. He has played just twice so far. On the other hand, he has already 49 Ligue 1 appearances under his belt.
The 21-year-old is contracted with Montpellier until 2025. His price tag was €5/7M last summer. It probably hasn’t gone up considering his lack of game time. They could make an attempt to sign him on an initial loan.
The Rossoneri plot to address the need but won’t break the bank. They are seeking somebody relatively cheap but with potential, as they did when they purchased Kalulu and Thiaw.
Our Take on Milan and Esteve
They could definitely use another man, but, after all, he’d be the fourth option behind three highly reliable players. They can roll the dice with somebody unproven. Pellegrino picked up an unusual injury, and there’s a chance he’ll be back before the January window, reducing the urgency. Instead, they should target a left-back to substitute for Kalulu.
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