The San Siro house of cards
AC Milan is staring down a summer that feels more like a fire sale than a transition. With elite talent reportedly disillusioned, the narrative around the club has shifted from progress to preservation. The chatter surrounding Mike Maignan being unhappy is particularly alarming, as losing a goalkeeper of that pedigree changes the defensive ceiling of the entire tactical setup.
As La Gazzetta dello Sport reported, the club is already scouting Elia Caprile and Marco Carnesecchi as potential successors. While both keepers have shown flashes of high-level shot-stopping, neither possesses the command of area that anchors a title-challenging side. Relying on younger, less experienced replacements when the defensive structure is already prone to individual errors is a massive gamble.
Jashari and Pavlovic hold the line
In the middle of this dysfunction, Ardon Jashari and Strahinja Pavlovic have become the surprise standard-bearers for stability. It is rare to see players swim against the current of a potential mass exodus, yet both seem anchored to the project. Jashari’s refusal to seek an exit should be seen as a vote of confidence in his own developmental arc.
The threat is persistent, though. Reports from Sky indicate that Atalanta director Cristiano Giuntoli is already plotting a move to pry Jashari away. Giuntoli is a vulture in the market; if he is sniffing around, it is because he recognizes a bargain before the broader market wakes up. Atalanta’s press-heavy, high-intensity system would arguably offer Jashari a more defined path to Champions League minutes than the current instability at the San Siro.
The tactical fallout
If Jashari stays, he is the engine room. If he leaves, there is no replacement on the roster capable of mirroring his transition play. Pavlovic, similarly, represents a physical profile that Milan has lacked for seasons. His ability to recover speed on the left side of the back three allows fullbacks to bomb forward with impunity, a luxury that will likely evaporate if he pushes for a transfer.
The critical flaw here is the club’s inability to project long-term ambition to their key assets. Even if Jashari and Pavlovic are genuinely dedicated to the cause, as GdS notes, player loyalty has an expiration date when the trophy cabinet remains empty. Sitting at 2026, management has to prove that the current chaos is a deviation, not the identity of the club.
I expect Jashari to endure the summer and remain in Milan, primarily because his technical fit is too specific to be replicated by a quick-fire signing. However, Pavlovic’s situation feels significantly more volatile. If a Champions League side comes knocking with a bid over 40 million, I doubt the board has the stomach to reject the cash influx. Milan is not rebuilding; they are clinging to pieces of a structure that is already midway through a demolition.
