Milan-Mandzukic, the deal goes live: Elliott’s ok is awaited | First page

An idea born almost by chance, which gains momentum hour after hour. Milan is now serious for Mario Mandzukic, Croatian center forward released from July after the conclusion of the experience with the Qatari Al-Duhail. We rewind the tape: as told in the past few hours, the Rossoneri managers talked about the former Juve with Giovanni Branchini, an agent close to the attacker who was visiting Casa Milan earlier this week. To support the negotiation there is the partial change of course of the club, which in recent days has changed its strategy since the summer, when it was decided to bet all the chips on Zlatan Ibrahimovic and, in cases of emergency, on Leao, Rebic and Colombo. A plan that yielded 11 goals in 12 games by the Swede, to which, however, the eleven matches missed due to injury must be added (in addition to the four absences due to Covid).

THERE IS MARIO’S YES – Thus, thanks to the passage of the round in the Europa League and the Italian Cup, which feeds Milan’s race on three fronts, Massara and Maldini have changed their line, opening the arrival of a center forward. The idea convinced the management, which has already received the attacker’s yes. Mandzukic is ready, he feels charged and up to a new challenge in a league like Serie A and is attracted by the possibility of returning to Italy. Where, with the Juve shirt, he put together 118 appearances and 31 goals in 4 seasons, raising four league titles, three Italian cups and two Super Cups, touching the Champions League in 2017, where with a splendid overhead he marked the momentary draw in the final with the Real Madrid. In recent days, the Croatian has refused an offer from Besiktas and is waiting for a concrete proposal from Milan.

THE OK IS EXPECTED – Milan which, at the moment, has not yet put a real offer on the plate. The reason? The property ok is missing. If the sporting side, led by Maldini and Massara, has already given its approval, the (decisive) one of Elliott is missing, which he is still doing some evaluations, but in the next few hours the final ok could arrive. The negotiation, in the meantime, gets underway: Milan intend to add goals and charisma to a perfect formation so far. To send, if still needed, another message to the championship …-