Paulo Fonseca unveiled as new coach of AC Milan, talks plans: ‘We need a striker and we know who we want’

The Paulo Fonseca era at AC Milan now begins after the Portuguese manager was appointed to replace Stefano Pioli at the club this summer. The Rossoneri unveiled Fonseca on Monday during a press conference where the former AS Roma and Lille coach spoke about his future plans, the summer transfer window and what he wants to achieve at the club.

RedBird advisor Zlatan Ibrahimovic was also present at the press conference and announced that Bologna striker Joshua Zirkzee will not join AC Milan as he is doing now. close to an agreement with Manchester United. AC Milan are now actively working on signing a central striker following the departure of Olivier Giroud at the end of last season. when the Frenchman joined LAFC.

On the plans for a new striker, Fonseca said: “We know clearly who is the player we want. What we know is that we want great quality for this very important position for the team. When we change, we change to improve. ” The striker must bring a lot to the team. We are working on it and I think we will have this player soon.”

Ibrahimovic also explained the current situation at the club regarding the current transfer window. “We study, we talk. We are not in a hurry. The market is long. I can guarantee that the new arrivals will arrive. Nothing has been done. Zirkee is the past. We have one in mind, but I am not the name say. There’s someone we’re targeting.

“We don’t want to have a squad of thirty players, but of 23. There will be new signings, but we also have to create space so as not to have too many non-functional players for the coach. We have to think not, just about who is there. comes in, but also about who leaves. Whoever comes, it is meant to improve the team, everything is meant to improve the team. It is not just bring, bring, bring, we don’t need 40-50 players like in American football.”

AC Milan is now working on signing a new striker. There are rumors that Spanish striker Alvaro Morata is the leading candidate for the role, but nothing has been decided yet. The Rossoneri must choose their new number nine carefully, which will also impact other players on the roster, but not Christian Pulisic. The USMNT star will certainly be a key player under Fonseca after a positive first season at the club, when he scored 15 goals in all competitions. In Fonseca’s tactical system (4-3-3), Pulisic fits perfectly as a right winger or as a left winger if Rafael Leao is not available.

AC Milan fans are expecting a response from the team after a season that left many disappointed despite finishing in second place in Serie A. The Italian giants were eliminated in the group stages of the UEFA Champions League before losing to AS Roma in the quarter-finals of the Europa League. In addition, the Rossoneri lost the Derby della Madonnina against Inter six times in a row, including the two semi-finals of the 2022/23 Champions League and the last one on April 22, in which Inter was officially awarded the 2023/24 Serie A title. their city rivals.

Fonseca has the difficult task of creating the same atmosphere inside and outside the team that led AC Milan to the title two years ago. AC Milan have carefully chosen Fonseca to become the right person in the right place to make that change a reality in the shortest possible time.