Ruben Amorim has wasted little time in reshaping AC Milan's squad, identifying seven players who fall outside his plans for the upcoming season, according to a report from the Daily Mail. The list includes two former Chelsea players, Fikayo Tomori and Christopher Nkunku, alongside ex-Brighton left-back Pervis Estupinan, all of whom have previous experience in the Premier League.
The other names on Amorim's list of surplus players are striker Santiago Gimenez, who joined Milan from Feyenoord, midfielder Youssouf Fofana, defender David Odogu, and Filippo Terracciano. None of the seven are expected to feature prominently under the Portuguese coach as he begins his tenure at the San Siro following Massimiliano Allegri's departure.
The futures of Tomori and Estupinan appear to be heading back toward English football, with speculation growing around potential moves to the Premier League. Meanwhile, transfer insider Fabrizio Romano has reported interest from clubs in Italy for Nkunku's signature, suggesting the Frenchman could remain in Serie A rather than return to the Premier League.
This approach is not new territory for Amorim. During his time at Manchester United, he became known for assembling what has been described as a 'bomb squad' of unwanted players, a group that at one stage included high-profile names such as Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho, Antony, Alejandro Garnacho, and Tyrell Malacia. That strategy formed part of a turbulent solitary pre-season in charge of the Red Devils, a tenure that ultimately ended in his dismissal at the start of this year with United languishing in sixth place in the Premier League standings.
Since taking the reins at Milan, Amorim has encountered early struggles as he attempts to implement his signature 3-4-2-1 formation, a system that never quite delivered the desired results during his time at Old Trafford. The early signs in pre-season have been mixed for the Rossoneri, who played out a 2-2 draw with Celtic and a 1-1 stalemate against city rivals Inter Milan before suffering a heavier 3-0 defeat to Xabi Alonso's Chelsea in a friendly staged in Jakarta, Indonesia. Joao Pedro scored twice in that game, with Moises Caicedo adding the third for the Blues.
There is a twist of irony in how the two clubs' paths may cross again this season, given Rashford's situation at United. The forward, once part of Amorim's own exile list, has since been reintegrated into the first-team setup under Amorim's successor, Michael Carrick. Should Milan face United in any capacity, it would present a curious subplot given the history between Amorim and the England international.
For now, attention in Milan will turn to how quickly the club can offload the seven players deemed surplus to requirements, as well as how Amorim's tactical approach settles in ahead of the new campaign. The Rossoneri's pre-season form suggests there is still work to be done before the squad is fully aligned with the coach's vision, but the swift identification of those not in his plans indicates a clear intent to overhaul the roster early in his reign.
Based on reporting from Standard Football (Daily Mail, Fabrizio Romano).