Ruben Amorim has told seven AC Milan stars that they have no future with the Italian giants as he implements a brutal cull in his first summer at the club.
Former Chelsea stars Fikayo Tomori and Christopher Nkunku are among the group being driven out by the former Manchester United boss.
Amorim took charge at the San Siro in early June, just over six months after he was sacked by the Red Devils, where he won only 38.1 per cent of his games.
He has got off to a poor start in charge of the Rossoneri, drawing against Celtic and arch rivals Inter as well as losing 3-0 against Chelsea last Saturday.
But the Portuguese coach will have the chance to put things right against his old employers in two days’ time as Milan face United in Wroclaw, Poland.
Alongside Tomori and Nkunku, he has put Youssouf Fofana, David Odogu, Pervis Estupinan, Santiago Gimenez and Philip Terracciano up for sale.
Ruben Amorim has told seven AC Milan players they no longer have a future at the club
Former Chelsea flop Christopher Nkunku will be shown the door, Daily Mail Sport understands
Tomori has had interest from Coventry City, managed by his old boss Frank Lampard, while Crystal Palace, Nottingham Forest, and Villarreal are looking into Fofana.
Amorim held a crunch meeting with club bosses today to discuss his plans for the season, which inevitably involve instituting his five-at-the-back system which failed at Old Trafford.
He has accepted the task of transforming Milan’s fortunes after they finished fifth last season in Serie A, missing out on the Champions League.
Another of his tasks will be to sort out the future of Rafael Leao, who has been linked with Galatasaray and Leeds. The winger has been actively looking for a club.
Amorim is ready for the challenge, and suggested that his task at the San Siro is even bigger than at Old Trafford.
‘I’m really very happy to be here, it’s an honour to be the coach of Milan,’ he said.
‘Why did I choose Milan? If you read an old interview of mine you will understand it, for me a special club.
‘It’s a very big challenge that I accepted even if after the last one [at Manchester United] I told myself to accept a smaller one.
‘Perhaps it is a greater challenge than the last. I’m proud to be here, we all are, me and my staff.
Fikayo Tomori is another of the seven stars who Amorim hopes will be saying arrivederci
‘I’m at Milan to win, if you’re Milan coach you have to have this mentality.
‘I’m not naive, I know there’s a lot of work to do, but if you’re the Milan coach you have to play to win.’
Milan last won the Serie A title in the 2021-22 season under Stefano Pioli.
Last campaign they were managed by Massimiliano Allegri, who had been previously had successful spells at the Rossoneri as well as Juventus but struggled to replicate this despite them having no European football.
