Fabio Capello believes Ruben Amorim must have identified a problem with Christopher Nkunku in training after the France forward was reportedly placed on the transfer list by Milan.
Amorim was appointed Milan head coach on 16 July and has spent almost a month assessing his squad before deciding on departures and any further additions.
A group of four players were reported on Thursday to have fallen outside the manager’s key plans and been made available for transfer: Nkunku, Youssouf Fofana, Fikayo Tomori and David Odogu. Milan are also expected to consider suitable offers for Rafael Leao, Santiago Gimenez and Pervis Estupinan.
Speaking to La Gazzetta dello Sport, former Milan and England manager Capello said Tomori’s inclusion was the most unexpected decision.
“Tomori is the one I thought might be useful to Amorim in some way,” said Capello. “Let’s not forget that he was a starter last season and also played for Milan when they won the Scudetto and reached the semi-final of the Champions League.
“Tomori isn’t the defender who is good at setting up play in the way that the coach probably prefers. But given the set of defenders currently in the squad, I would have thought carefully before getting rid of the Englishman.”
Capello suggested Milan would need to recruit a replacement if Tomori leaves, although he warned that an emphasis on possession should not come at the expense of defending.
“If you were to tell me that Milan will go and sign someone like Nesta from the good old days, then I’d hold up my hands and walk Tomori out of the door myself. Playing with the ball a lot of the time means we lose track of what a defender’s most important task is, and that is to defend.”
Asked to expand on his point, Capello said Amorim’s proactive approach would still need to be matched by defensive resilience.
“Amorim wants to play a more proactive style of football and keep the press high, but there are moments in games when you have to know how to defend, even in your own penalty area.
“Being able to dribble is great, but you need a strong central defender in your own area. Unless you’ve got players like Maldini, Baresi, Costacurta, phenomena like that who can do everything well.”
Capello expects Luka Modric to remain an important part of Milan’s midfield, despite the player turning 41 in September and being unable to play every minute of the season.
“I believe the coach wants to focus on Jashari a lot, who he sees as a good fit for his style of play. Milan will still depend on Modric a lot, and he turns 41 in September.
“The Croatian won’t be able to play every single minute. Behind him, there’s Comotto, who is a very interesting young man and it’s right that he’s in the squad. Then there’s Ricci, who is a reliable player and Musah, who Amorim might see as handy for his possession game. He’s good at dictating play, less so in the tactical reading of the game, though.”
Nkunku’s reported exclusion from the project was also discussed. Capello had expected the Frenchman to suit Amorim’s preferred 3-4-2-1 formation.
“I thought the Frenchman would have had space in Amorin’s 3-4-2-1 but instead he’s excluded from the project. Clearly the coach has seen something in training he doesn’t like.”
Leao’s future remains uncertain before the summer transfer window closes. Capello said the Portugal forward would face a difficult reception at San Siro unless he produces an outstanding campaign after comments he made during the summer.
“We’ll see,” said Capello. “As I’ve already said, if Leao really were to stay, things won’t be easy for him. And to prevent San Siro from really kicking off after the statements he made this summer, he won’t just need to have a good season, but a super season.”
Capello believes Milan still need a starting-quality central defender, rather than simply another squad option, and also wants to see a creative player added in the final third.
“We’ve spoken about the defender, and in my opinion, it’s not just a need for someone to make up the numbers but a starter instead. Gila alone is not enough.
“I also expect a creative player who can make a difference in the final third, whether Leao stays or goes. If he stays, he’s not a guarantee and a bit of healthy competition would do him good. I don’t think certain behaviours can be fixed anymore, but at least Milan would be well covered on those days when Rafa gets up out of the wrong side of the bed.”
Capello rejected concerns that Milan would lack options at centre-forward if Gimenez leaves, leaving Goncalo Ramos and teenager Francesco Camarda as the main choices.
“So what? I see a lot of potential in Camarda, he knows how to move in the box and has a lot of quality,” Capello argued.
“It’s right that he’s finally given the chance to break through. Allegri also wanted to keep him in the squad last year. There’s always too much skepticism with young players in Italy, we need a bit more courage. It’s impossible to know when a young lad is ready if they’re never tested.”
