AC Milan head coach Ruben Amorim has informed seven players that they have no future at the Italian club as he begins a major squad clearout during his first transfer window at the San Siro.
Former Chelsea defender Fikayo Tomori and forward Christopher Nkunku are among the group being pushed out by the former Manchester United manager, who took charge of the Serie A team in early June.
Amorim joined Milan just over six months after being sacked by Manchester United, where he won 38.1 per cent of his matches in charge at Old Trafford.
The Portuguese coach has experienced a difficult start to his tenure with the Rossoneri. Milan drew matches against Scottish Premiership side Celtic and city rivals Inter, before suffering a 3-0 defeat against Chelsea last Saturday.
Amorim will face his former club in two days when Milan play Manchester United in a friendly fixture in Wroclaw, Poland.
Players listed for transfer
Alongside Tomori and Nkunku, Amorim has placed Youssouf Fofana, David Odogu, Pervis Estupinan, Santiago Gimenez and Philip Terracciano up for sale ahead of the new season.
Tomori has attracted transfer interest from English Championship side Coventry City, managed by his former Chelsea boss Frank Lampard. Meanwhile, Premier League clubs Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest, along with Spanish La Liga side Villarreal, are exploring moves for midfielder Fofana.
Amorim must also resolve the future of Portuguese winger Rafael Leao, who has been linked with Turkish club Galatasaray and English side Leeds. Leao has been actively searching for a new team.
Tactical overhaul and manager response
Amorim held a crucial meeting with AC Milan executives today to discuss operational plans for the upcoming campaign. The manager intends to implement his preferred five-at-the-back tactical formation, which previously struggled during his spell at Manchester United.
The manager accepted the role after Milan finished fifth in Serie A last season, missing out on qualification for the UEFA Champions League. Despite his difficult stint in England, Amorim suggested his task in Italy presents an even bigger test.
Speaking about his appointment, Amorim said: "I'm really very happy to be here, it's an honour to be the coach of Milan."
"Why did I choose Milan? If you read an old interview of mine you will understand it, for me a special club," he added. "It's a very big challenge that I accepted even if after the last one I told myself to accept a smaller one. Perhaps it is a greater challenge than the last. I'm proud to be here, we all are, me and my staff."
Amorim emphasized that his target is to return Milan to winning trophies. "I'm at Milan to win, if you're Milan coach you have to have this mentality," he said. "I'm not naive, I know there's a lot of work to do, but if you're the Milan coach you have to play to win."
Recent managerial history at San Siro
AC Milan last won the Serie A title during the 2021-22 season under former manager Stefano Pioli.
The club was led last season by Massimiliano Allegri, who had previously enjoyed successful periods with both Milan and Juventus. However, Allegri struggled to replicate that success during his latest spell, despite Milan having no European football fixtures on their schedule.
