GdS: ‘Very dear goals’ – the worrying numbers behind Milan and Juventus’ striker issues

AC Milan and Juventus share an issue: they each can’t get objectives from their forwards, regardless of having spent quite a bit to assemble the respective casts.

La Gazzetta dello Sport (seen beneath) start an evaluation by placing Rafael Leao and Christian Pulisic to 1 facet, as a result of they’re wingers compelled into the striker function by Massimiliano Allegri’s 3-5-2. The identical applies to Yildiz and Boga, who had been additionally deployed as false nines below Luciano Spalletti.

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They solely take into account those that are pure strikers (Santiago Gimenez, Niclas Füllkrug and Vlahovic) or those that had been offered as such upon arrival in Italy (Christopher Nkunku, Jonathan David and Openda). These offers value quite a bit, however the outcomes had been questionable.

Little return for the Rossoneri

Including collectively the objectives scored in 2025-26 by Gimenez, Füllkrug and Nkunku, you get eight. The Frenchman scored six, however he additionally performed considerably greater than his two team-mates.

Doing a fast calculation that features their salaries and amortisation charges thus far, every purpose from the trio has value the Rossoneri a whopping €2.18m web. Whereas the monetary outcomes of the three signings (Füllkrug is definitely solely in Milan on mortgage) might increase eyebrows, the sporting ingredient alarms followers.

Extra was anticipated from Gimenez and Nkunku specifically. The Mexican arrived for €28.5m plus bonuses on the finish of the 2025 winter window, with the assumption that he can be ​​Milan’s high scorer for years to return.

The phantasm was short-lived: after a number of months, Luka Jovic had overtaken him in Conceiçao’s pecking order. Beneath Allegri, after beginning attributable to accidents (Leao specifically), he was sidelined by an ankle downside that stored him out for about 5 months. He has zero league objectives this season thus far.

Nkunku was the shock signing of the late summer season, costing €37m. The previous Chelsea man has offered a number of highlights right here and there, however the participant admired at RB Leipzig – earlier than a few severe accidents – was a unique beast. Nkunku has by no means established himself as a starter, similar to Füllkrug.

The German big was the one January addition, however his solely notable achievement stays the decisive purpose within the victory over Lecce. It’s a provided that he’ll be despatched again to West Ham on the finish of the season with out paying the €5m choice to purchase.

Juve’s woes

Juventus invested over €40m in Lois Openda, between a mortgage and a compulsory buy-out. The Belgian has solely scored two objectives, towards Roma and Bodo/Glimt, costing the membership roughly €6m per purpose.

Regardless of being a last-minute signing final summer season, rather more was anticipated from the previous Leipzig star, particularly given his two years with Lens and the German membership, which noticed him rating effectively over 20 objectives this season.

Dusan Vlahovic, then again, has been tormented by accidents, notably a high-grade tear to his left adductor longus muscle and a low-grade tear to his left calf soleus muscle. The end result has been a season of 18 video games and eight objectives, which don’t match his €70m charge and €12m web wage.

Lastly, Jonathan David: contemporary off his eighth purpose of the season, has been closely used in comparison with his colleagues. Arriving in the summertime on a free switch however rewarded with a €6m wage, he was presupposed to be the centre-forward of the long run, however as a substitute he too can’t rating.