How AC Milan Are Expected to Line-Up in 2025-26 as Max Allegri Returns For Second Term

Max Allegri’s return to Milan signals genuine intent for immediate silverware, after several seasons of mediocrity at the San Siro. Below we take a a glance at how we expect the AC Milan squad 2025-26 to look come the end of the summer window, and how effectively Allegri’s blueprint for success may translate to a Milan side suffering from an identity crisis.

Max Allegri Tactics, Philosophy and Serie A Honors

AC Milan’s decision to reinstate Max Allegri as manager, a decade after his first stint at the club, certainly raised eyebrows in Italy.

Just when it appeared the club were headed in a more youthful, future-proof direction as they tried to court Como’s Cesc Fabregas, as well as Vincenzo Italiano, Allegri’s appointment is a far cry from Milan’s recent philosophy.

This is a man whose acrimonious departure from Juventus last year, which saw him launch a sweary tirade at referees and club officials in the Coppa Italia final, perhaps hinted that his often grating personality has no place in modern soccer’s sanitized environment.

That ordeal will see him serve a retrospective ban in his first game in charge of AC Milan against Bari on August 17.

Nevertheless, this is also a man whose record as a manager in Serie A is only bettered by Giovanni Trapatoni, who has seven Scudettos to Allegri’s six.

This irrefutable trophy haul makes him an attractive prospect for any side, even if his reputation was heavily tarnished in his second stint at Juventus.

The hope is that his return to Milan will be slightly more harmonious, with the club in desperate need of a cultural shift after registering their lowest Serie A finish in a decade.

It is hard to fathom a team more suited to his soccer principles than Milan. Allegri is a self-professed free-spirit, and prefers to unshackle his most creative and expressive players, in order to maximize their potential for game-changing moments.

His simplistic tactical philosophy will thrust players like Rafael Leao, Christian Pulisic and new arrival Luka Modric into the limelight, and allow them to fully express themselves.

That isn’t to say his squad will be allowed to operate as they please — far from it. His imposing disciplinary style has earned him both friends and foes down the years, and players reporting for AC Milan preseason have already been met with a strict list of 10 commandments to abide by, or else face punishment.

AC Milan Squad 2025-26

Much of AC Milan’s summer business has been focused on generating capital from player sales — namely Tijjani Reijnders, Pierre Kalulu, and Theo Hernandez — for whom they scooped over $100 million in combined fees.

This has allowed them to reinvest in areas of the pitch that desperately need attention, with the midfield being nurtured first and foremost.

Samuele Ricci’s arrival from Torino is an astute piece of business that underlines new sporting director, Igli Tare’s, careful approach to building for the future.

The Rossoneri must also build for the ‘now’, however, and Luka Modric’s availability on a free, which Milan ate up without hesitation, is an equally astute signing given very few players in world soccer command the respect he does.

Areas for improvement include the left-back position, for which they only have one recognized natural left-sided defender after Theo Hernandez’s departure. Milan have this week been linked with a move for Andy Robertson, who could be available for as little as $10 million.

By all accounts, Milan may hold on to some of their key names who were expected to depart, not least Rafael Leao, who has been given assurances from the club over his involvement, in the face of heavy interest from Bayern Munich.

Goalkeeper Mike Maignan had also been on the verge of a move to Chelsea earlier in the window, but he now appears to be staying put which is a real coup for Milan.

It is a competitive squad, and one that offshore sportsbooks think are good enough to at least reclaim their spot in the Champions League places next term.

How AC Milan Could Line-Up Under Max Allegri

Max Allegri has shown himself to be fairly adaptable when taking over teams that aren’t his.

He largely kept Antonio Conte’s effective 3-5-2 system in tact when taking over the reins at Juve during his first spell, only changing it to 4-3-3, and then latterly 4-4-2 a season later.

It could well be that he employs a similar slow integration, which could see him adopt Sergio Conceicao’s three at the back system that appeared to work for the most part of the campaign.

Whether Milan do dip into the transfer market for a new left-back remains to be seen, but for now we have placed Emerson Royal on the left of a five in midfield, which will transition to a back-five off the ball.

20-year-old Alex Jimenez will be handed more minutes this season after impressing in a breakout year last term, and the departure of Kyle Walker frees up space to lock down the right side of defense.