AC Milan is one of the most famous clubs in the world, however the Italian Serie A has not been graced with its recognisable quality recently. Owner Silvio Berlusconi has made the first move to change that, after announcing the sale of the club to a Chinese consortium. It has not been disclosed who the interested party is, however It was reported that 80% will be sold with the new owner looking to purchase the remaining 20% as soon as possible.
The Rossoneri finished seventh in the Italian league last season and have not appeared in a European competition for three seasons, which is an unacceptable record a club with the rich history of AC Milan.
In a month of Euro 2016 action where, not only have England endured another disappointment, but Italy were knocked out in the quarter-finals, Italian Football finally has a bright future ahead of it with a team that looks likely to be able to contest for the Scudetto with Juventus.
In a football season where Leicester City won the Premier League and could win next year, there is no reason AC Milan cannot complete the equivalent in Italy. Although Leicester are by no means as expectant to win titles, Milan winning Serie A next year would still be a shock.
Berlusconi selling the club makes this a possibility, however, as a fresh burst of energy and enthusiasm will be instilled in the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza.
The 79-year-old has had control of the Diavolo since the 1980s and it could be said that he has got slightly bored of the team. While at the peak of political power in Italy, Berlusconi was working hard with Milan and his work with the team could have been seen as a way of gaining support for his political campaign, but since his domination in Italian politics hindered, he has had little reason to help Milan do extremely well on both the domestic and international stage.
Emphasis on younger players
Now that the problems at the top will have been settled, Milan can work from the bottom up to ensure quality on the field, beginning with their youth academy.
A name that springs to mind in terms of recent Milan youth products is that of Hachim Mastour, a Moroccan 16-year-old who was viewed worldwide to be the next big thing.
Videos of him in training shocked football pundits as they questioned how a player of his age could have the right amount of skill to compete with the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo on the pitch.
Mastour is still owned by Milan, but he spent last season on loan at Malaga. With new ownership, youngsters like him could be given a chance to showcase their talent while the world is watching. If he were to make an appearance, it could be the end of Milan’s striking problems for a long while.
Transfer Policy
A new owner may also be able to make sensible moves in the transfer market. For example, Milan brought in Adel Taarabt on loan from Queens Park Rangers for the second half of the 2013/14 season and scored eight minutes into his debut.
He managed a further three goals and two assists, appearing 16 times overall for the Italians both in Serie A and the Champions League.
Despite this, Taarabt was released from Milan and returned to England. A new owner would realise quality when they see it and would keep players like Taarabt when they performed like he did.
