Milan Eyeing January Moves For Defensive Trio Including Inter Cult Hero

Milan have reportedly named Inter cult hero Milan Skriniar on their January transfer wish list along with two other defenders.

Rossoneri eyeing Milan Skriniar, Eric Dier and Federico Gatti

Milan were eyeing Thiago Silva, but he has since opted for a move to Portuguese giants Porto.

The Rossoneri have therefore gone back to the drawing board, and three new defensive names have emerged for January.

Sky Sport Italia reports Milan want an experienced defender in January, ideally on loan, to steady a squad stretched by injuries and inconsistency.

And Fenerbahce’s Skriniar, who made 246 appearances for Inter, is among the names on the Rossoneri list.

Monaco defender Eric Dier and Juventus ace Federico Gatti are also on Milan’s radar for January, according to the report.

Dier has been struggling with injuries, having been out for over a month with muscle problems.

He has only just returned, but he remained on the bench in Monaco’s defeat to Marseille.

Meanwhile, Gatti has only played four games under Luciano Spalletti.

He also enjoys a strong understanding with Massimiliano Allegri, the  two winning the 2024 Coppa Italia together.

Gatti is currently out injured and is expected to return in January, but it remains to be seen whether Spalletti will play him.

‘Milan could be ready if Juve were open to a transfer and the conditions for a deal were right,’ wrote Sky Sport Italia.

In addition, Milan are reportedly close to following up the deal for Niclas Fullkrug with the potential signing of Andrej Kostic from Partizan Belgrade.

The stumbling blocks in Rossoneri pursuit of Skriniar

There are several roadblocks for Milan if they were to intensify their interest in Skriniar.

He is not a fringe option at Fenerbahce. Indeed, Sky Sport notes he is “captain and starter”,  making a prospective mid-season move unlikely.

There is also the salary hurdle. Fenerbahce signed him this year on a four-year deal on a reported €8million per year.

That financial reality is why Milan are exploring loan formulas, rather than an outright purchase that would reshape their wage structure.

Fenerbahce also own Skriniar outright, after completing his permanent move from PSG in July, strengthening their hands in negotiations.

The player has poured cold water on similar talk before, insisting in September he had “never spoken to Milan” amid earlier links.

And though Skriniar said “never say never” on a return to Serie A, all the signs point towards this coming later on in his contract.

The combination of his importance to Fenerbahce and a contract that runs until 2029 make this move unlikely.