Rossoneri set to lose their loyal servant who has worked with Berlusconi since 1986.
With speculation in the Italian newspapers on Friday that AC Milan Vice-President Adriano Galliani will leave the club within the next week, the Rossoneri are set to embark on a new future that comes with risks as well as exciting new benefits.
Galliani’s expected decision to split with the club comes after Barbara Berlusconi’s apparent plans to modernise the club and re-structure the Rossoneri’s management.
While it has been suggested that she will bring in a new sporting director to help on the transfer market, the owner’s daughter is also keen to bring back an element of the old Milan with Paolo Maldini or Demetrio Albertini expected to be handed an operational role.
Nevertheless, what does it mean for both Milan and Galliani moving forward? Since his arrival in 1986, Galliani has played an integral role in the success of the Berlusconi era with his well publicised ability to work in the transfer market and the commercial sector.
With countless silverware added to the club’s trophy cabinet during his time and some of the finest talents in football plying their trade at San Siro, there has been a slight dip in his ability to identify players for the future which has coincided with Milan’s financial position deteriorating.
As a result, coupled with the club’s struggles on the pitch over the past two seasons, Berlusconi Jr. believes the time is right for change having taken her time to study the European landscape since being appointed as a director of the club over two years ago.
The Rossoneri had a clear vision two years ago to bring in young, Italian stars of the future in Stephan El Shaarawy and Riccardo Saponara, while Mattia De Sciglio is the latest product to be promoted from the youth academy.
However, with the management neglecting the requirement to strengthen the defence and midfield in the summer and moving away from that long-term plan, Milan are adrift of a top three finish and are likely to be without Champions League football next season which will further impact on their financial health.
Galliani has been a memorable part of Milan’s evolution over the past three decades and more and has various options available to him including a future in politics, but ‘Lady B’ believes it is now time to evolve further.
It is undoubtedly a risk given the reputation and network of contacts that Galliani possesses, but if Milan are to really move forward and implement a new direction, then arguably his exit is necessary and with an expected change of coach next summer it could be an exciting new chapter in the history of the Italian giants.
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