Two former Chelsea players feature in Ruben Amorim’s latest ‘bomb squad’ as the ex-Manchester United manager continues to stamp his authority on AC Milan.
The Portuguese took over the reins of the Italian club earlier this summer, having been relieved of his duties at Old Trafford back in January, having criticised the club’s hierarchy publicly in the aftermath of a 1-1 draw with Leeds United.
Now, he has succeeded Massimiliano Allegri at the San Siro, but he has already bookmarked seven names that do not feature in his plans this season.
The Daily Mail report that there are three former Premier League stars in that list, including two formerly of Chelsea.
Those ex-Blues are Fikayo Tomori and Christopher Nkunku, while Pervis Estupinan, the old Brighton left-back, has also been made surplus to requirements.
Santiago Gimenez, the former Feyenoord striker, Youssouf Fofana, David Odogu, Filippo Terracciano are the other players deemed to not have a future under the 41-year-old.
Tomori and Estupinan’s transfer listings could potentially signal returns to the English top flight for the pair, while Fabrizio Romano reports that Italian clubs are interested in Nkunku’s services.
Amorim is famous for enlisting a ‘bomb squad’ of players not featured in his plans, having frozen out Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho, Antony, Alejandro Garnacho and Tyrell Malacia last summer at United.
The Portuguese embarked on his first - and only - pre-season in charge of the Red Devils, but he was given his marching orders at the start of this year with the club in sixth place in the Premier League table.
Since he took over at Milan, he has seen his new side struggle as he looks to implement his preferred 3-4-2-1 system, which failed to produce results at United.
In their three official pre-season friendlies so far, Milan have drawn 2-2 with Celtic, 1-1 with Inter Milan, and lost 3-0 to Xabi Alonso’s Chelsea most recently, with Joao Pedro netting a brace and Moises Caicedo completing the scoring in Jakarta, Indonesia.
Now, as they gear up for the Serie A campaign, Amorim faces a reunion with his old employers, United, in Wroclaw, Poland, on Saturday.
He could well lock horns with the returning Rashford, who has been welcomed back into the first-team fold at Old Trafford by the Portuguese’s successor Michael Carrick.
