The change of coaches at Milan is quite interesting. Fonseca only stayed for half a year before leaving, and the newly arrived Conceicao appears to be making sweeping reforms. However, this kind of coaching change is not uncommon in Serie A, after all, when results are poor, someone has to take the blame.
Tomori, this player, did not fare well under Fonseca, basically sitting on the bench as a substitute, only coming on once in the last five games. This treatment seems unreasonable for a main player who helped the team win the Serie A title. As soon as Conceicao arrived, he put him in the starting lineup, which suggests that the new coach wants to rekindle the form of this English central defender.
The central defensive partnership of Tomori and Gav in training has been good, giving Conceicao hope. After all, stable defense is needed against strong teams like Juventus, which may lead to Gabia taking a seat on the bench. This personnel adjustment shows Conceicao's high regard for the defensive system.
Milan is currently ranked eighth, which is not a very good result. The new coach must act upon taking office, and reusing Tomori is a wise move, ensuring stability at least defensively, and Tomori has indeed proven his abilities before.
Calabria's contract expires this summer, and at 28 years old, he is in his prime. However, this season he only had 10 appearances, with only 6 starts, which is somewhat awkward for a captain, and there is no news of renewal yet.
He may leave the team during the winter transfer window, or if he stays, he will leave as a free agent in the summer. In this situation, Milan is already looking for a new right-back, and Zapa is a good choice. Although he is from Inter Milan's youth training, he is a Milan fan, which is an interesting contrast in identity.
Zapa, who is now playing for Cagliari, is 25 years old and in his prime. His price tag of 3.5 million euros is not expensive in today's football market, and he has experience in the Serie A league. This recruitment strategy is relatively pragmatic, but whether it will succeed depends on the specific negotiation situation.
Chiesa Jr. is not doing well at Liverpool, having only played four times this season, with only one start. In this case, being loaned back to Serie A seems like a good option, especially since he performed well when playing in Serie A, and Milan needs such players to strengthen the squad.
Zirkze is also not having a good time at Manchester United, often criticized by fans and the media. However, his experience in Serie A is quite good, and it is normal for Conceicao to value this, after all, players familiar with the league are easier to adapt to the team's tactical system.
Conceicao's record at Porto is still impressive, winning three Portuguese Super League titles and even eliminating Ronaldo-led Juventus in the Champions League. This coaching experience makes people look forward to his performance at Milan, although the competitive environment in Serie A is different from the Portuguese Super League.
Milan does indeed need some changes, whether it is reusing Tomori or introducing new players, it shows that Conceicao wants to transform the team according to his own ideas. This reform may bring pain, but it may be necessary for the long-term development of the team.
Milan's current transfer targets are all players who cannot play as starters in other teams. This choice is partly due to financial issues, and it also reflects the team's attitude of wanting to act cautiously, after all, these players have experience in Serie A and can adapt faster.
Conceicao's decision to reuse Tomori is also a manifestation of seeking stability, after all, Tomori played well in Milan before and is familiar with the team's tactical system. This choice is much more stable than directly introducing a new central defender, and Tomori's strength is indeed still there.
Letting go of Calabria may seem risky, but in the long run, it may be a wise choice, after all, his performance is not ideal. It is better to let him go early and plan anew than to keep an unhappy captain, which is also a manifestation of seeking stability.