5 defenders who could solve AC Milan's defensive struggles

Angelo Ogbonna

Ogbonna could be a good fit at AC Milan

Ogbonna and AC Milan have been linked previously and now again, and considering his tricky situation at Juventus, Milan should revive their interest in the talented defender.

Ever since the Italian joined the Old Lady from Torino, he’s never been able to settle and the presence of the likes of Giorgio Chiellini, Andrea Barzagli and Leonardo Bonucci has only served to lower his position in the pecking order. Moreover, the imminent return of Daniele Rugani from Empoli will further plummet his chances in Turin.

The only way in sight to save his career is by moving to another club and Milan appear to be the most suitable at the moment. The club is in desperate need of some top-drawer players and they may get that in Ogbonna. Also, the prospect of getting more playing time here may just add more fuel to the fire.

Ogbonna is a great talent wasted on the bench but at Milan, he can exploit it to the fullest and help shore up Milan’s defence.


Joel Veltman

Veltman’s contributions for Ajax have been noticed across Europe

A product of the famed Ajax academy, Joel Veltman is an established defender in the Eredivisie and can bring a lot of experience to the squad, having played in the Champions League and Europa League several times with Ajax.

Although the capital club were knocked out in the group stages of the Champions League last season, Veltman’s performances, in particular, were eye-catching. Drawn against top guns such as Barcelona and PSG, the 23-year-old came up against the likes of Messi and Ibrahimovic and put up an admirable show.

He made 3.2 tackles and 2.6 interceptions per game in the Champions League and when toppled into Europa League, the figures soared to 3.7 and a staggering 5.7 respectively.

The numbers suggest he is a dominant tackler and is quick off the mark, something that Milan centre-backs have been severely lacking in. Also considering their illustrious history of successful Dutch signings, Milan may prefer adding another one to the conveyor belt.


Jetro Willems

The pacy Willems could add some much-needed dynamism to the Milan defence

Left-back seems to be another area that Milan would like to give a facelift to. Mattia De Sciglio may be young and promising but his performances last season suggest otherwise.

He lacked the composure and quality necessary in defence and looked more like a bull in a china shop. Jetro Willems of PSV Eindhoven can provide the necessary tools to help the defence regain its lost sheen.

The young gun of the Netherlands team has grown from stength to strength over the years and has made the left-back position his own at just 21-years of age. Willems was pivotal to Eindhoven’s league success this year and also had good offensive contributions with 13 assists. His addition would bring raw pace down the flanks and his penchant to drift forward can add to the threat going forward.

Just like Veltman, Willems too, may be earmarked as a possible signing for the summer considering his Dutch roots.

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Edited by Staff Editor