5 defenders who could solve AC Milan's defensive struggles
Serie A behemoths AC Milan have been in decline and had yet another season to forget. The depleted Milanese outfit finished a lowly 10th in the league last season and missed out on Europe for the second season running.
The club are indeed stuck in a bad situation and have umpteen issues to solve before they reach the heights of yore. One of the most glaring issues currently gnawing at the Rossoneri is that of their defence.
Ever since Thiago Silva departed for Paris St.Germain, the Milan rearguard has been poriferous, leaking goals like never seen before. This fragility at the back has cost them big time over the past few seasons and they need to make reinforcements as fast as possible.
Here are the 5 men who can help AC Milan tighten up their rearguard –
Aymen Abdennour
The foundations of AS Monaco’s surge to the quarter-finals of the Champions League last season was built on their obdurate defence and Tunisia international Aymen Abdennour was integral to it. A fantastic season with the Principality club has garnered him the attention of some top scouts of Europe and Milan too, must write his name in their shopping list for the summer.
The 25-year old can bring back guile and tenacity to the Milan backline and can bully the attackers with his 6’2” stature. Abdennour combines elegance with a startling toughness and can provide an excellent base to the defence. The Monaco centre-back can also be an upgrade to the error-prone and also overly aggressive Phillippe Mexes.
Monaco may, however, command a hefty fee if they are to let go of their prized asset.
Joao Miranda
The Brazilian has been a key member of the Atletico Madrid squad that led one of the meanest defences in Europe and also played a big part in their La Liga success in the 2013/14 season. Miranda has earned a reputation of being one of the toughest and uncompromising defenders around and can be a really great addition to AC Milan.
A player of unusual of subtlety, Miranda is adept at bringing the ball out of defence with consummate ease and is also dominant in the air. His calm and commanding presence would make him indispensable to the Rossoneri.
With a transfer fee purported to stand at £24 million, Milan would be forced into thinking twice before lining up a bid, but considering the long-term benefits that Miranda brings, despite his age, he is worth the transfer fee.