Milan After RB Salzburg Midfielder, Exit Falls Through | OneFootball

Milan are contemplating shoring up their midfield and have earmarked Lucas Gourna-Douath, whom they have been monitoring for a few years. They had made a timid attempt for Philip Billing, but Napoli moved more swiftly, Sky reports.

The youngster transferred to RB Salzburg from Saint-Etienne for €13M in 2022. He has accumulated 16 appearances in the Champions League already. He primarily plays in front of the defense and has hit the net twice in 89 games with his current team.

In addition to inquiring about Gourna-Douath, Milan have been in touch with the Red Bull group to define the transfer of Noah Okafor. He was set to join RB Leipzig on a €1M season-long with a €25M option to buy, but he didn’t pass the medicals and is heading back. He missed the last few matches due to a calf strain.

According to Calciomercato, the Rossoneri tested the waters with Torino to see whether it was possible to sign Samuele Ricci this window already. However, the Granata repelled them quickly. They have a lot of leverage thanks to a recent contract renewal. He’s still likely to depart next summer, but the suitors will have to offer at least €30M.

Our Take on Milan and Gourna-Douath

His age helps with the lists, and he’d be an apt deputy for Youssouf Fofana, although the former Monaco star doesn’t seem affected by the heavy workload. They have been whole in the midfield for less than a week since Ruben Loftus-Cheek got hurt again. They better address it in January, and they can afford to go young given the quality of their top options.