Ruben Amorim’s AC Milan summer rebuild must start with bold sales before any fresh spending can make real sense.
AC Milan’s summer rebuild should begin with difficult exits, not sentimental ones. After finishing fifth and missing out on the Champions League, the Rossoneri have replaced Massimiliano Allegri with Ruben Amorim, but the real fix must start with smarter squad management and clearer planning.
What went wrong for AC Milan last summer?
AC Milan’s recent decline was not caused by one bad month; it grew out of a season marked by indecision, an unclear transfer strategy, and a team that too often lost its identity in key moments.
They were competitive for long stretches, yet the collapse in the final weeks showed how fragile the project had become, both on the pitch and in the boardroom. The club also changed leadership after the season, with Allegri, sporting director Igli Tare, technical director Geoffrey Moncada and CEO Giorgio Furlani all leaving in one major shake-up.
The broader problem is that Milan have looked like a side trying to patch holes instead of building towards a clear idea. That is why the appointment of Amorim matters, but only up to a point. A coach can shape a team, but he cannot fix weak structure, muddled recruitment and a squad full of uncertain futures on his own.
Why sales come first
Before AC Milan can buy well, they must sell well. The Rossoneri cannot move into a new cycle while carrying too many expensive, inconsistent or tactically awkward pieces that complicate the rebuild. If Ruben Amorim is to impose a recognisable style, the squad must be trimmed to players who fit his plan and can be trusted across a full season.
That makes this summer less about collecting names and more about creating balance. Milan need funds, clarity and room in the dressing room for targeted signings. Offloading the right players first would also send a message that the club is finally acting with a plan rather than reacting to events.
Rafael Leao
Leao is the most obvious name on the list because he is both Milan’s most valuable attacking asset and their most saleable one. He has openly signalled a desire for a new challenge, while Milan are believed to be open to a deal if the offer is strong enough. That does not make him a poor player; it simply reflects the reality that the relationship may be reaching its end.
Tactically, Leao, linked with Chelsea, Liverpool, and Manchester United, among others, is also a difficult case for Amorim. The Portuguese coach has often favoured a 3-4-2-1 system, and that shape may not get the best out of a player who thrives when he can attack space from the left with freedom. If Milan can receive a fee in the region of the reported asking price, selling Leao would give them a major financial boost and remove one of the squad’s biggest uncertainty points.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek
Loftus-Cheek is a different type of case, but the logic is similar. He has size, power and technical quality, yet Milan have not always found a role that consistently unlocks those qualities in a balanced system. When a team is trying to restore structure and identity, that matters more than raw reputation.
Amorim’s rebuild needs midfielders who can press, cover ground intelligently and keep the ball moving quickly in tight spaces. Loftus-Cheek can contribute, but he has too often looked like a player who fits in moments rather than a weekly cornerstone. If Milan want a more energetic and reliable midfield shape, moving him on would be a practical way to free wages and create space for a more system-specific option.
Strahinja Pavlovic
Pavlovic brings aggression and physical strength, but Milan have not yet turned him into a fully settled defensive presence. There have been transfer rumours around him before, which shows that the club have not always viewed him as untouchable. For a side looking to reduce uncertainty, that is a warning sign.
Centre-back is a position where trust and timing matter as much as power. If Amorim wants to build a back line that is calm in possession and disciplined without the ball, he may prefer defenders who are cleaner on the ball and more naturally suited to his methods. Pavlovic can still have value in the market, and Milan should consider that value now rather than waiting for it to fall.
Building the next squad
The strongest argument for these sales is not simply that the players are available; it is that Milan need a cleaner reset. Leao’s future is unsettled, Loftus-Cheek does not feel indispensable, and Pavlovic has yet to fully settle into the long-term core of the side.
Turning those situations into cash would allow Milan to strengthen several weaker areas instead of relying on one or two stars to carry the burden. That wider rebuild is essential because Milan’s problems have never been limited to talent alone.
The club must fix the sporting structure, improve decision-making and stop drifting from one idea to another. If they do that, sales become part of a proper plan rather than a sign of decline.
Milan do not need a cosmetic summer; they need a decisive one. Selling Leao, Loftus-Cheek and Pavlovic would not solve everything, but it would be a strong first step towards a squad that fits Amorim better and a club that thinks with more clarity. The Rossoneri have already learned how costly hesitation can be. This time, they must act before the same cycle begins again.