Given that they're looking set to be back in the Champions League next season, AC Milan are already looking forward to building a squad that will be capable of competing on three fronts for the 2021/2022 season.
Although the Rossoneri already have a solid attack with veterans like Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Mario Mandzukic, plus others like Ante Rebic, they're naturally seeking to continue to bolster their front-line and thus will be on the lookout for both young, promising talent as well as experienced players that may come at a relatively bargain price.
The latter crop in particular could be more feasible, and one player who belongs to such a group is none other than Atalanta's Josip Ilicic. According to MilanNews.It, the Slovenian international has endured a tricky relationship with current manager Gian Piero Gasperini and could want a way out this summer. With his contract set to expire in 2022, and his being 33 years old, La Dea could look to sell him at a cut-price deal rather than just let him depart on a Bosman next summer, and that's where Milan could seize advantage.
So, despite Atlanta trying to shut down this rumor, it will be interesting to see if Ilicic, who has also played for Fiorentina, ends up being a bargain price deal for the Rossoneri during this summer's transfer market.
However, it's Ilicic's age that just may be where Milan could end up hesitating. After all, both Mandzukic and Ibrahimovic are "on the wrong side of 30", but have played for bigger sides than Ilicic in their careers, and so the Rossoneri could opt to spend their funds elsewhere on someone younger and who could stay at the Stadio San Siro for a bit longer than he could. Fiorentina's Dusan Vlahovic for instance, represents a much more appealing option as the Serbian international is only 21 years old and has well over a decade of professional football ahead of him before retirement.
In any case, a striker certainly isn't going to be the only player Milan will be looking to be purchase this summer, that's for certain. With both Alessio Romagnoli and Gianluigi Donnarumma - who, interestingly, just so happen to be both clients of Mino Raiola - linked with potential exits, the Diavolo may be looking at buying a new defender and a new shot-stopper as well.
