With his contract set to expire this summer, Lucas Biglia is facing an exit from Milan as his stint with the club looks set to draw to a close.
The Argentine stalwart joined us in 2017 as part of our ambitious and exciting rebuild, and was added to provide experience and a calm head in the heart of the side to help guide the younger players.
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On paper, the deal made sense. We were also simultaneously weakening a direct rival too in Lazio. However, it simply hasn’t clicked for Biglia in a Milan shirt.
There were positives in fairness. His defensive qualities coupled with his composure in possession made him an important figure in the side. His biggest problem though was putting it all together on a consistent basis.
Then came an injury-hit 2018/19 campaign. Just 19 appearances across all competitions, and early warning signs that things were starting to unravel. Fast forward to this season and barring a brief stint in the XI at the start of the campaign, his 34-year-old legs look increasingly past it.
Milan have swapped him for a younger, more mobile option in Ismael Bennacer who has rapidly established himself as a pillar of the side moving forward. The 22-year-old offers what Biglia can’t, namely energy, tenacity, mobility and technical quality which have all arguably betrayed the stalwart at this point as he was at times simply bypassed in games.
As noted by Football Italia last month, Milan aren’t expected to offer Biglia a new deal. His last appearance for us was on December 8, and you’d be hard-pressed to find a single Milan fan who has missed him in the time that has passed since.
Cover and quality depth is needed in midfield so we don’t just have to rely on Bennacer. With Calciomercato reporting that Milan are ready to step up their pursuit of Brescia starlet Sandro Tonali this summer, the writing is surely all but on the wall for Biglia.
His spell in a Milan shirt wasn’t an entire disaster. He showed his class at times and perhaps was a valued member of the squad behind the scenes in terms of his guidance and experience to help the younger players. However, with his best years behind him and with an increasingly limited role ahead, it’s the right move for both parties to go their separate ways this summer.