Milan Mercato: Reinforcement or Reanimation?

Even before we qualified for the Champions League Group Stage, many Milan fans were eagerly looking for reinforcements in the mercato. Having been well versed in the new FFP compliant, commitment to youth, and squad-reducing ways of Milan, we scoured the transfer market for young players who could come cheaply and fill the spots we needed reinforcing. We talked excitedly about players who only a year ago we never would have considered “Milan quality.” But then things started to turn sour when injuries awoke the old Galliani, and we started adding squad players instead of buying champions. And, in the final hours of the mercato, Galliani achieved his greatest accomplishment: the resurrection of a career, the reanimation of a Milan legend.

Dr. Gallianistein and MilanLab present: the reanimation of Kaká

Even in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, Victor Frankenstein struggles with the morality of his creation. But Galliani does not seem to struggle with such morals. Having attempted to bring back other Milan Legends before, each attempt failing, he continues to seek “the one that got away” and hope for a successful return, nostalgia winning over common sense or good business or football. With Kaká being so beloved. I can only hope for the sake of the fans, and especially for him, that this time he gets it right. But this time, the monster he has created has already taken a toll: the return of Kaká also marks the death of Milan’s plan for sustainability, and a return to the old ways.

I wrote last week about the duplicity of Milan’s management, and much as been said about this downturn in what seemed to be a fantastic journey of FFP compliance and commitment to youth. And please don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against the players we brought in on this transfer market. Despite age or price, we are at least a little bit better off than when the summer began. Whether or not we reinforced according to the desires of the fans, the team is stronger and more prepared to compete on three fronts.

He took a 60% pay cut to come back. Let's hope Galliani considers his heart, too.

For me, though, the sacrifices we have made as fans… the recent loss of Ibra and Silva, for example… they seem to be in vain. Our hearts have been as mere playthings for Milan management as they rule our beloved team like brutal dictators. Changing their minds on a whim, selling us a load of lies when they’ve made mistakes. And now, they have tread on the most sacred ground in our hearts and tried to reanimate the career of a Milan legend. It doesn’t matter how well the new players do, or any success that Milan gain, management have broken my heart for the last time. They may be evil dictators by day and mad scientists by night, but I will never again fall for their lies about changing their ways and being committed to youth and sustainability and such. The mercato was never meant to hurt like this.

This post inspired by the music of Radiohead’s “Fake Plastic Trees”