Serie A Transfers: The Risky Gamble of Milan and Juventus

Following a very disappointing season that ended with just a Europa League qualification, the two big clubs Milan and Juventus demonstrated their intent to return by splashing cash in the transfer window.

As of 20 days before the new season kicks off (August 22), Milan has spent over 100 million euros to bring in just three players, while Juventus has also shelled out nearly 90 million euros for four new signings.

Milan: Determined to Change Their Fortune

The biggest and most notable deal in the Italian transfer market this summer is striker Goncalo Ramos moving to AC Milan from European champions PSG. The 25-year-old, who scored the decisive goal that helped Portugal eliminate Croatia in the Round of 32 of the 2026 World Cup, is reported to cost Milan up to 85 million euros including performance bonuses, making him the most expensive signing in Rossoneri history.

Over the years, Milan has consistently failed with center-forwards priced around 30-40 million euros, from Andre Silva, Krzysztof Piatek, Charles De Ketelaere, Santi Gimenez to Christophe Nkunku. That might be why they have accepted to spend double to sign Ramos, who, despite mostly being a substitute at PSG over the past three seasons, has still scored 45 goals in 131 appearances across all competitions. However, 85 million euros is an enormous sum in the context of Serie A's lack of wealth, and the curse of failure that has haunted Milan's number 9s for 15 years—only Olivier Giroud has managed to overcome it.

Milan is clearly playing a risky gamble. Even though Ramos was personally requested by new head coach Ruben Amorim, there is no guarantee that he will realize his potential to justify the investment, while the pressure of expectations from a blockbuster contract will certainly not be easy for the Portuguese striker.

On the other hand, the acquisition of center-back Mario Gila from Lazio is seen as an excellent move by Milan, even though they couldn't push the price below the desired 30 million euros. Gila, one of the best defenders in Serie A in recent years, known for his reading of the game and ability to launch attacks from the back, will certainly be a key figure in Amorim's plans. Milan will sign at least one more top center-back (targets include Goncalo Inacio, Antonio Silva, Tiago Gabriel) while looking to sell Fikayo Tomori to revamp the defense.

Juventus: Trusting Their Instincts

In the Italian market over the past few weeks, Kerim Alajbegovic has been a 'hot' name, but the young creative midfielder's arrival at Juventus came as quite a surprise. Previously, the 18-year-old Bosnian talent was closely watched by Milan and then Atalanta, appearing in news daily, but in the end Juventus was the 'latecomer who got ahead' to secure the player from Bayer Leverkusen for a transfer fee of 32 million euros, not including performance bonuses.

Most recently, Juventus successfully brought back French striker Randal Kolo Muani to the Allianz Stadium, who had played very successfully for them in the second half of the 2024-25 season on loan from PSG (scoring a total of 10 goals in 22 matches). Juve paid 38 million euros, but the total cost could reach 50 million, a figure worth pondering for a striker who scored only 5 goals while on loan at Tottenham last season, with just 1 of those in the Premier League.

Theoretically, Juventus is doing everything right. Alajbegovic is rated as one of the most promising attacking talents in Europe thanks to his excellent dribbling skills, high ability to create surprises, and capacity to score from long range, while Kolo Muani has proven he can shine in Serie A, at Juventus, and is still young enough (27 years old) for a long-term future. However, that is only the belief from Juve's side, a club that has changed as many as 3 coaches in just the last 18 months. Reality could be much harsher.

The reason is that Alajbegovic is still too young and inexperienced, having only one season in his career in Austria with Salzburg. The pressure at a club like Juventus could be overwhelming for a player born in 2007. Kolo Muani was once seen as a 'golden deal' when he scored 5 goals and provided 1 assist in just his first 5 matches for Juventus in February 2025, but a prolonged slump afterward (11 consecutive matches without a goal) erased the glamour. Juve had always wanted to buy him outright after the loan, and they have finally succeeded now, but many things have changed; nothing promises this will be a dream reunion for both sides.

Imagining an attack with the young duo Kenan Yildiz and Alajbegovic supporting spearhead Kolo Muani could be very exciting, but it also holds many doubts.