Arsenal vs AC Milan
The Singapore Festival of Football is set to kick off this week when Club Friendly: Arsenal vs AC Milan is the fare on offer for the locals… and any lucky travelling fans.
It’s the second of the Singaporean football jamborees and to have the giants of European football in the city-state is a great way for Arsenal and AC Milan to spread their commercial appeal as well as upping their match-fitness levels in preparation for the new domestic campaigns.
Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal are hoping to add to their 13 Premier League titles, after coming so close in recent years, while Massimiliano Allegri’s reign as AC Milan manager starts with high expectations. I Rossoneri are 19-times Scudetto winners and, after an eighth-place finish last term, the Serie A betting odds predict a top four place and maybe more, as they will have quieter fixture lists than their competitors.
Gunners’ search for a striker goes on
Here at SBOTOP we’ve followed Arsenal’s search for a striker for almost 12 months now and, while the Gunners do seem to be getting closer they still haven’t got a proven goal scorer through the door. Sporting Lisbon striker Victor Gyokeres has been the main target during this transfer window, but there appears to be a risk of that deal collapsing, despite the Swede’s keenness to head to North London.
The latest Premier League news suggests the deal is still close, but there is work to do to iron out differences in the two clubs’ expectations around add-ons, both are looking at a figure of around 10m Euros but with differing structures. The fee is £55m but the add-ons are an important aspect and the Gunners will be keen to get it sorted, with Manchester United also circling. Arsenal have spread their search and have been watching 20 year old Mainz 05 striker Nelson Weiper, a strong and powerful figure who, at 6ft 3in, would be able to cope with the rigours of Premier League football.
Arsenal have already made some summer purchases, bringing in Martin Zubimendi to support the excellent Declan Rice in the centre of midfield, while winger Noni Madueke has signed from Chelsea; though the 22-year old has been left at home since his arrival at the Emirates having starred for Chelsea in the Club World Cup.
This is a squad dripping with talent and Gunners fans will hope that Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz can stay fit and firing this summer, while a 20 goals a man striker remains the priority.
Milan looking to add to Modric and Ricci
The Big Boys in Serie A are jockeying for position and the 2025/26 Scudetto race looks like becoming an exciting prospect already. The recruitment of Allegri as head coach has signalled I Rossoneri’s intent and the club has already made some astute signings. Box to box midfielder Samuele Ricci has arrived from Torino in a 23m Euros switch and, with ten Azzurri caps already he is a much admired player, technically gifted with an excellent vision and passing range. At the other end of his career, the evergreen Luka Modric has transferred in after 13 glittering campaigns at Real Madrid. The 39-year old Croat will get plenty of game time but Allegri will use him carefully.
Milan are closing in on a deal to sign right back Pervis Estupinan from Brighton and Hove Albion and Marc Pubill from Almeria, two moves to strengthen the Rossoneri’s defensive unit and they too are in the market for a proven striker. Juventus goal-getter Dusan Vlahovic has been the subject of constant transfer speculation in recent weeks and his time at Juventus must surely be coming to an end after three years in Turin in which he has scored 43 goals in 104 appearances. The 25-year old Serb has an impressive track record with 44 goals in 98 appearances for Fiorentina before he moved to Turin in 2022. To get close to a one in two ratio in the Italian top flight is some achievement over five campaigns… and Vlahovic is yet to reach his prime.
With 12 months left on his contract, Vlahovic will be on the move this summer you’d expect and, if so, he may well rock up at the San Siro where he would get plenty of service from the likes of Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah and Rafael Leao. But, in Italy, the big deals are rarely straight forward and that is sure to be the case with Vlahovic. Juventus are yet to receive an offer and it seems to be a game of chess between the selling and buying clubs, with the player’s wages no small issue.
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