Milan Transfer Market, New Priorities: Christian Pulisic’s Long Absence Forces a Change of Plans
Milan had set out on the transfer market with a clear mission: to hand the team over to Ruben Amorim as soon as possible, as Gerry Cardinale has repeatedly stated. A signing for the attack, Gonçalo Ramos, and one for the defense, Mario Gila, have already been secured, and the plan was to further strengthen the defense, this time on the wings. However, the latest news regarding Christian Pulisic from the United States is forcing the Rossoneri to shift their priorities, immediately launching the search for a new offensive wild card.
Pulisic will be sidelined for several weeks due to a microfracture in the tibia and fibula area, compounded by a bone contusion, sustained during the U.S. team’s loss to Belgium. Milan will play its first official match of the season on August 23 in Turin against Torino: Pulisic might even be there, but he’s unlikely to be at 100 percent and certainly won’t have been able to complete his preseason training properly. For new coach Amorim, this is no small problem.
The Rossoneri management had already identified the need for a young, technically skilled one-on-one attacking player capable of linking up with new center forward Gonçalo Ramos. But now the search has become urgent, partly because Rafael Leão’s future remains a mystery: if the Portuguese player were to actually leave Milanello, Amorim would find himself having to rebuild the attack almost from scratch.
Milan has already drawn up a precise profile that points to two names, both valued between 35 and 40 million euros: Kerim Alajbegovic and Kostantinos Karetsas. The first, fresh off a loan stint at Salzburg but owned by Bayer Leverkusen, represented Bosnia and Herzegovina at the 2026 World Cup, even earning praise from Zlatan Ibrahimovic. The second, born in 2007, is a rising star at Genk and on the Greek national team (which he joined after playing at the youth level for Belgium), having recorded 18 assists last season.
Arthur Atta, however, has slipped through their fingers. Despite a courtesy meeting between Udinese’s sporting director, Gianluca Nani, and the Rossoneri management, the French player is headed to Fiorentina, and his name will therefore be crossed off the Rossoneri’s list. Amorim, who had also made a joke about the budget during the press conference, confirmed that he is looking for a player who can beat his man and link play between the lines: Pulisic’s injury makes this need even more urgent.
