The Rossoneri CEO: `What struck me about Max was his knowledge of Milan and how much he cared about this club. Ibra and Moncada are very important resources`
“This is not a revolution.” Giorgio Furlani describes AC Milan`s 2025-26 project, stating it will be “a change.” This suggests an adjustment in strategy rather than a complete overhaul. Furlani met with journalists alongside the new sporting director Igli Tare, explaining the club`s summer direction: “We don`t need a revolution; the goal is to aim for competitiveness to win trophies.” The initial cornerstones of this change are clearly Igli Tare and Massimiliano Allegri, two experienced figures brought in to oversee the reconstruction. “They are our first two signings,” Furlani confirmed. He added, “We changed the setup of the sporting area; we realized it would be important to have a figure like Igli, and Igli in particular. I am convinced that with him, we made the right choice; we are working in the same direction.”
Max the Winner
How did this happen? Furlani elaborated: “Igli, even before starting, told me `Allegri is the right man.` We focused on the coach with the most trophies in the history of Italian football, a coach with a history of wins and a history at Milan. We wanted someone with experience in Italian football.” The early signs are promising: Furlani and Allegri have consulted, Allegri has shared his expert vision, and Furlani was pleased to grant the coach more influence in the transfer market than was the case with Fonseca a year ago. “What struck me about Allegri is his knowledge of Milan and the league,” Furlani explained. “He has enthusiasm and knowledge of Milan, the club, the team. He brings great energy and a desire to do well.”
Allegri and the Lugano Blitz
Tare recounted a behind-the-scenes detail of the negotiations with Max, implying that speed was crucial. “After my arrival, there was a need to act immediately with a new coach, and from the first contact, I understood that Allegri cared deeply about this club. He had a profound understanding of the issues; from that, I understood his great interest. Giorgio and I made a quick trip to Lugano, met with him at length, and ensured Max accepted within 48 hours.” Their relationship is now close: “I speak with Allegri 4-5 times a day; he is aware of everything. We talk about player characteristics and opportunities that arise daily. We agreed that certain roles have priority, then we will see about the rest.”
The Structure: Ibra and Moncada
The club`s structure is thus changing. Furlani still has the final say on decisions. Tare is the man for negotiations, in constant contact with Allegri. Zlatan Ibrahimovic represents the ownership. Geoffrey Moncada serves as chief scout, and for Furlani, he remains an important reference in evaluating players. The CEO clarified with a couple of points: “Zlatan has never been on the payroll of the Milan company. He remains a very important person in our project, as an operating partner of RedBird. He is someone we Milanisti love; as a player, he brought us back to winning ways; he played in the Netherlands, Italy, Spain, France, England, the United States: he has a great wealth of expertise. As for Moncada, he has been with Milan for 7 years; he is a very important resource and remains the technical director. He knows players and identifies talents, in France and worldwide, like few or none. He remains central to the Milan project.”
Maignan and the `No` to Chelsea
Balancing the budget and team needs is naturally not simple, as shown by the transfer of Reijnders, who had won over San Siro fans last year. The management rules, under Elliott before and RedBird now, remain consistent: the strategy is to target young profiles with controlled wages, maintain financial balance, and generate commercial revenue to invest in the squad. “Football is central. All economic resources generated are invested in sporting performance, but there are constraints,” Furlani stated. “We have to decide how to allocate our resources because money doesn`t rain from the sky.” Mike Maignan serves as a good example. Furlani didn`t explicitly name Chelsea, but the reference is clear: “We had interest from an English club, and we didn`t consider it interesting. Mike was very fair, and so was his agent: he was open to both solutions, including staying at Milan.” And so, Maignan stayed and perhaps will be the captain. Milan is trying to restart this way, with him and with teamwork. “There is no division between a sporting soul and the rest of the club; we are one,” Furlani clarified. It`s a beautiful challenge. This long, strange summer of change can continue.
