Milan Transfer Market: Amorim Cuts a Surprise Star; Fans Are Up in Arms. Roma Moves in on the Player
Ruben Amorim has ruled out Christopher Nkunku: According to Sky, the French forward—who was a regular starter during the preseason friendlies—has also been cut by the Milan coach, who has made clear demands to Rossoneri owner Gerry Cardinale.
After the transfer meeting held on Thursday afternoon, the first names of those set to be released began to circulate: Tomori, Odogu, Fofana, and Nkunku failed to impress him and will be leaving, and other players from the roster may join them. There was no mention, however, of Rafael Leao.
Nkunku’s inclusion on the list of players to be released took fans by surprise, with many commenting negatively on the decision on social media. “Since they can’t sell Leao, they’re selling Nkunku—what a masterclass, haha,” “They’re forced to put anyone on the market because the worst players are unsellable and there’s no money,” “Nkunku was the best forward last year. Sticking with Leao and Pulisic is a huge mistake,” “This Amorim guy has already pissed me off, and the season hasn’t even started yet,” “We won’t sell any of them anyway, and they’ll all stay on the team unhappy,” “But seriously, with all these players on the market, what kind of plan do we even have here?”, and so on.
The possible sale of Nkunku has Roma on the move, as they’d already been linked to the player in the past. Gian Piero Gasperini had already tried to sign him, unsuccessfully, last January, and the Giallorossi could make another move. There is, however, a major obstacle: the player’s salary, which is currently out of reach for the Roman club’s budget.
The decision regarding Nkunku comes amid a situation where player transfers remains largely unresolved. Among the other players rejected by Amorim are Youssouf Fofana—who is rumored to be leaving for around 20 million euros, with several Premier League and La Liga clubs on his trail— and Santiago Gimenez, who is now close to joining Porto on a loan with an option to buy for around 20–22 million. There are also still matters to be resolved regarding Warren Bondo, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Pervis Estupinan, and the situation involving Samuele Ricci, who is reportedly being eyed by Maurizio Sarri’s Atalanta.
Fikayo Tomori deserves a separate discussion, as he too is on the list of players set to be let go for two reasons: Amorim does not consider him a good fit for his style of play, and the Englishman has a contract expiring in 2027 that Milan does not intend to renew on more favorable terms. According to Tuttosport, however, the defender has no intention of leaving Milan this summer and is prepared to stay until his contract naturally expires. Several Premier League clubs, including Newcastle and Coventry, as well as Juventus, are reportedly already showing interest in him.
