Preseason fitness assessments reveal Milan's midfield logjam

Samuele Ricci arrived at Milanello last summer as a €23m investment from Torino, signing a contract through June 2029. Twelve months later, the 24-year-old Italian international is fighting to avoid becoming collateral damage in Ruben Amorim's tactical overhaul. Early preseason physical screenings in Milanello have exposed a fundamental mismatch between Ricci's athletic profile and the new manager's system.

Ricci managed 31 appearances, one goal, and four assists in his debut campaign at San Siro. He logged those minutes playing behind Adrien Rabiot and Luka Modric in the squad rotation. Amorim's arrival has altered player requirements across the pitch.

The Portuguese head coach relies strictly on a 3-4-2-1 setup featuring a high-intensity two-man central engine room. Ricci's preference for tactical control does not supply the ground coverage Amorim demands from his central pivot. His physical output during double sessions has highlighted the gap between his natural game and Amorim's pressing demands.

As reports from Calciomercato confirm, Ricci's representatives have started exploring alternative options across Serie A. Initial contacts were made with Juventus executives Massara and Carnevali, who are focused on building a more Italian core in Turin. The clubs previously discussed a potential player swap involving defender Federico Gatti back in January.

Atalanta has also emerged as a viable landing spot. Coach Maurizio Sarri repeatedly tried to sign Ricci during his time managing Lazio and remains keen on bringing him to Bergamo. Milan management will not grant a discount, establishing a baseline fee of at least €20m before agreeing to negotiate.

Ricci is working to prove his conditioning and tactical versatility during training at Milanello. However, squad mathematics present an uphill battle. Milan currently has seven players competing for two central midfield slots, making departures unavoidable before Serie A action begins.

Amorim pivots to internal fitness solutions on the flanks

Rather than relying entirely on transfer spending, Amorim is testing internal resources to solve positional shortages. Incoming summer arrivals Gonçalo Ramos and Mario Gila have already joined first-team drills. Meanwhile, the technical staff is conducting rigorous physical testing on players returning from loan spells.

Samu Chukwueze represents the most ambitious physical transformation of the summer. Following his loan spell at Fulham, the Nigerian winger appeared destined for a permanent exit. Amorim intervened directly on the day of his presentation, publicly announcing his intention to keep Chukwueze while converting him into a right wing-back.

The transition requires Chukwueze to meet extreme physical benchmarks. Wing-backs in Amorim's formation cover massive running distances while tracking opposing wingers into the defensive third. Medical staff are monitoring Chukwueze's stamina metrics daily to determine whether his body can handle the demands of the role.

Yunus Musah is undergoing a similar conditioning assessment on the right side. Returning from his own loan stint, the American midfielder offers raw physical strength and recovery speed. Lazio has prepared a €20m transfer bid, but Amorim is withholding final approval until he tests Musah's tactical discipline in preseason matches.

Christopher Nkunku presents a different medical and tactical picture. Milan paid €37m plus performance bonuses to sign Nkunku from RB Leipzig last summer. After an inconsistent debut season plagued by physical setbacks, Nkunku showed flashes of sharp movement in the final weeks of the campaign.

Amorim views Nkunku as a primary option for the attacking midfield slot directly behind the central striker. His acceleration in short spaces fits the physical demands of Amorim's twin attacking playmakers in the 3-4-2-1 structure.

As outlined in recent internal squad evaluations, teenage forward Francesco Camarda and midfielder Christian Comotto are also receiving close scrutiny. Both academy products returned from loan assignments and are undergoing physical screening before management decides on new loan deals.

Amorim's technical team has categorized the internal evaluations into specific roles across the pitch:

  • Christopher Nkunku: Evaluated as a starting attacking midfielder behind the main striker.
  • Samu Chukwueze: Retrained at right wing-back to resolve squad width deficits.
  • Yunus Musah: Tested for right-flank duties while Lazio prepares a transfer offer.
  • Francesco Camarda and Christian Comotto: Screened physically before loan placement decisions.

Cardinale's executive shift speeds up squad restructuring

The swift tempo of squad decisions reflects a wider administrative change at Casa Milan. Owner Gerry Cardinale marked the start of his active ownership phase on January 21st, visiting Milanello during refinancing discussions with Comvest. That visit signaled a permanent end to distant ownership oversight.

Following the management dismissals at the end of May, Cardinale dismantled the previous American corporate model. Under the old structure, operational authority was delegated to executive directors who were judged at season's end. Internal friction often stalled squad planning under that arrangement.

Decisions now go straight through Cardinale's desk. The streamlined chain of command eliminates bureaucratic delays when approving player sales or signing target profiles identified by Amorim. The change aims to avoid past mistakes where long haggling over transfer fees cost Milan key targets.

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport reported details, Cardinale fundamentally changed internal club messaging. Previous management prioritized financial targets above sporting results, openly stating their main goal:

"finishing in the top four because the Champions League is financially essential"

Cardinale rejected that defensive mindset after last season's poor results. He replaced financial conservative talk with an explicit order for Amorim and the squad during preseason planning:

"play to win, not to avoid losing"

Amorim embraced that mandate publicly, speaking openly about targeting Serie A's second star during his opening press conference. The objective requires total clarity on player availability before the transfer window closes.

Critical reality check for Milan's physical project

Despite the fast-paced decision making, Milan's current squad composition exposes clear planning errors. Carrying seven central midfielders into late July is poor roster construction. It reflects past inconsistencies in transfer strategy that left the squad unbalanced.

Converting Chukwueze into a full-time wing-back carries significant tactical risk. Asking a player built for isolated attacking duels to learn defensive positional tracking in weeks is a gamble. One mistimed defensive recovery on the flank will leave Milan's three-man backline exposed.

Pushing Ricci toward the exit door just one year after paying €23m represents poor financial management. Selling a 24-year-old Italian midfielder at a loss or side-step price damages squad value and weakens Milan's domestic core.

Rivals in Serie A are watching Milan's squad surplus with clear interest. Massara and Carnevali at Juventus are eager to add Ricci's domestic profile, while Sarri at Atalanta knows exactly how to deploy him. If Milan hesitates, Serie A competitors will gladly profit from their squad inflation.

Amorim's preseason physical program will quickly reveal which players can meet the physical standards of his 3-4-2-1 setup. With zero room for tactical passengers, Milan's medical and technical staff must resolve these player evaluations before opening weekend.