OFFICIAL: Adel Taarabt is a Milan player

Fulham's Adel Taarabt (on loan from ) is headed to Milan and it happened quickly. According to sources, the Moroccan international has passed his medicals and he is officially a Milan player on loan until the conclusion of the season with an option to buy for reportedly €7mil.
QPR

Adel Taarabt has spent most of his career in the Premier League with Tottenham and Queens Park Rangers before going to Fulham on loan. The 24 year old brings with him to Milan a bundle of talent and quality that many clubs would enjoy to have. However, speculation surrounds the playmaker.  Is he a team player and will he give it 100% on the pitch? In December of 2012 when he was linked to a Milan move, Taarabt shared his take on Milan, stating that they were a club no longer at an elite level. He went on to say "however, if I joined Milan then it would open up the doors for me to great clubs like Real Madrid and Barcelona." For most Milan fans, these statements were degrading. His remarks translated to mean that Milan could be his "stepping stone" to more "elite" clubs. Being as he spent the majority of his career with QPR, one would think a Milan move would be his dream move.

In the few matches I've seen Taarabt play for QPR last season, I saw several promising qualities. Seedorf's 4-2-3-1 formation. On the other hand, the Moroccan appeared to play selfishly, shaking off teammates call for the ball in build-ups. At times, a manager calls on his stars to be selfish and take control of a match but Taarabt isn't a star despite his ability.
He has great skill with the ball at his feet and he is a plus passer, two qualities Milan could surely use in

Taarabt will most likely play as a left-mid in a 4-2-3-1 formation where he will be asked to work together with Kaká and Honda, setting up goal chances for Mario Balotelli. The playmaker wouldn't have made the switch to Milan if Seedorf didn't approve of the player and his potential role in his formation. Seedorf must see something in him. Is he a project player who, with some guidance and seasoning, can help the squad in both the Champions League and Serie A?

You can guarantee that if Taarabt doesn't put forth his best efforts and attitude, Seedorf, Kaká and the Curva will let him hear it. The one thing that remains constant for troubled players: if you perform well for the club and give it your all, people will forget the bad and embrace the good. Let's hope Adel Taarabt turns it around at Milan.

One Era Ends, Another Begins: Seedorf replaces Allegri as Milan manager.

 

 One day after suffering a disappointing loss at the hands of 19 year old Domenico Berardi and Sassuolo, Milan finally made the move so many Milan fans across the world demanded. Monday, January 13th was judgement day for now former Milan manager, Massimiliano Allegri. The manager was fired after failing to get Milan back on track. 

After being given one more year to prove his worth at Milan this past summer, Allegri and the club have been nothing short of embarrassing. A bottom table club for most of the season, Milan has failed to get going and to make a push back towards European qualification, something they did in dramatic fashion on the final day of the 12/13 campaign. 

Massimiliano Allegri, in his fourth year as Milan manager, has managed one of the more horrific Milan clubs in recent history. Milan, a club known for excellence, a laundry list of pure legendary talents and a trophy case many clubs dream about has taken a turn for the worst. While many believed they wouldn't win the league title, most felt confident in their ability to maintain European qualification. Milan sit in 11th place in Serie A with 22 pts, 6 pts above the horrific relegation zone that has given Milanisti nightmares all season long. Disappointment is an understatement. Sure, one can make the argument for Allegri that he wasn't supplied enough talent to contend for the title. However, Milan are far better than 11th place and the 30 pts behind league leaders, Juventus. Most fans believed that Allegri would finish out the season after publicly admitting that he will not be back next year. Barbara and Silvio were left with no choice but to sack Allegri in an attempt to find a solution. A savior. A leader. But who?

Rumors have been flying around Italy since last summer about the possible replacements for Allegri. Everyone from current Azzurri manager Cesare Prandelli to former Chelsea and Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas to Roberto Di Matteo. However, most believed the two likely candidates for the position were two former Rossoneri players, Botafogo's Clarence Seedorf and Milan Primavera manager Pippo Inzaghi. Roughly two years removed from playing for Milan, both Seedorf and Inzaghi were attractive options to take over Milan. Inzaghi, who manages the Primavera, has no prior managing experience while Seedorf has none. Inzaghi the more logical choice right? Not so fast.

Silvio spent little time naming Allegri's replacement as Milan manager as the owner got in contact with the Botafogo player Seedorf to offer him the position. Seedorf could not pass it up. Everyone knew he wanted to manage one day. The opportunity to manage a club you played for and won with in Milan was too good to let slip despite the current issues. Clarence Seedorf confirmed Tuesday, January 14th that he will be the next manager of Milan and will sign a contract for 2.5 years to fill the role. 

Clarence Seedorf retired from playing football after 22 successful years. He is a true professional, winner, leader and mastermind of the game. Few players have the football intelligence that Clarence has. He speaks 84 languages and has a great feel for the sport he loves so much. Silvio hand picked Clarence Seedorf. This is his guy and he has a massive amount of confidence in him. The Milan faithful have confidence in him and believe he will bring the red and black to glory. 

Let's not forget that Clarence has a lot to learn about this club from the managing point of view. He has played with several players on the current squad but many of the players do not fit in. To expect an instant turnaround isn't fair. Clarence will have the rest of the season to understand the tactics of Milan as well as the personalities of the players. Clarence will be given his choice of who he wants to go to war with when he selects his coaching staff this summer. Most believe Stam and Crespo will be among those he recruits which would be fantastic. Being patient is important in the rehabilitation process for Milan. Having his back and continuously supporting the club is what we must continue to do. Milan are in a huge hole. Together, we must dig ourselves out. 

It brings us great pleasure to welcome Clarence Seedorf back to Milan. We are pleased to have him as our coach. He is the leader this team deserves. The turnaround starts now.

January Transfer Window: Update

Here is an update on some of the moves that have been finalized and some of the latest rumors swirling around Italy (as of 1/31/14)

Completed transfers/loans (with club & est fee)

Cagliari DEF Lorenzo Ariaudo >----> Sassuolo (buy)

Genoa MID Francesco Lodi >-----> Catania (undisclosed)
Cagliari MID Radja Nainggolan >-----> Roma (€3mil loan w/ opt to buy for €6mil)

Boca Juniors MID Leandro Paredes >-----> Roma (loan)

Roma MID Michael Bradley >-----> Toronto FC ($10mil)
Roma FWD Marco Borriello >----> West Ham (loan)
Roma DEF Nicolas Burdisso >----> Genoa (undisclosed)
Manchester United MID Anderson >----> Fiorentina (loan w/ buy out clause of €6.5mil)
Milan FWD M'Baye Niang >-----> Montpellier (loan)
Milan FWD Alessandro Matri >----> Fiorentina (loan)
Milan DEF Jherson Vergara >----> Parma (loan)
Milan FWD Andrea Petagna >----> Back From Sampdoria loan
Milan MID Antonio Nocerino >----> West Ham (loan)
Valencia DEF Adil Rami >-----> Milan (loan)
CSKA Moscow MID Keisuke Honda >-----> Milan (free)
Chelsea MID Michael Essien >----> Milan (free)
QPR MID Adel Taarabt >----> Milan (loan w/ option to buy for €7mil)
Genoa DEF Thomas Manfredini >----> Sassuolo (buy w/ undisclosed fee)
Udinese MID Alexander Merkel >----> Watford (loan)
Hellas Verona MID Jorginho >----> Napoli (€5mil)
Juventus DEF Paolo De Ceglie >----> Genoa (loan)
Juventus DEF Marco Motta >----> Genoa (loan)
Al-Ain FC MID/LW Michel Bastos >----> Roma (loan for €1.1mil)
Catania MID Panagiotis Tachtsidis >----> Torino (loan)
Catania FWD Maxi Lopez >----> Sampdoria (free)
Torino DEF Danilo D'Ambrosio >----> Inter (€1.5mil)
Inter DEF Alvaro Pereira >----> Sao Paulo (loan)
Napoli FWD Eduardo Vargas >----> Valencia (loan)
Napoli DEF/FWD Pablo Armero >----> West Ham (loan)
Parma DEF Djamel Mesbah >----> Livorno (undisclosed)
Barcelona B FWD Antonio Sanabria >----> Sassuolo (€4mil)
Lazio FWD Sergio Floccari >----> Sassuolo (€1.9mil)
Lazio MID Hernanes >----> Inter (€20mil pending medicals)
Southampton FWD Pablo Osvaldo >----> Juventus (free loan)

Rumors (a handful of many. Many have cooled of late)

Lazio's Marchetti or Genoa's Perin to Milan this summer
Parma's Biabiany to Milan
Manchester United's Nani to Milan or Inter

If we forgot any, please notify me via our twitter page @ACMilanBros