Glasner and Alaba: Two Austrians in the Milan Package?

Alaba is currently without a club following the expiry of his contract with Real Madrid and is therefore available on a free transfer. The 33-year-old is captain of the Austrian national team, which is coached by team boss Ralf Rangnick. The defender brings international experience at the highest level – precisely the quality Milan is urgently trying to build up after a disappointing season in which the Champions League places were missed.

However, Alaba's sporting past in recent years has been marked by a significant series of injuries. Since the 2023/24 season, he has suffered, among other things, a cruciate ligament tear as well as muscle and meniscus problems. These risk factors stand in the way of a possible engagement. At the same time, observers emphasize that Alaba, due to his experience and personality, could also be a valuable reinforcement at the highest level – a judgment based on an evaluation of multiple sources.

Alaba's Injuries and Comeback Plans

"Gazzetta dello Sport" also describes in its Monday edition that Alaba has already been offered to several clubs, including Milan's city rival Inter Milan. An engagement with the designated "Rossoneri" coach Glasner would steer this transfer poker in a concrete direction. Milan, called "Rossoneri" by fans and media, is seeking a fresh start after missing the jump to the premier competition – and Glasner is considered a favored candidate for the sporting reorganization.

Glasner himself had most recently managed Crystal Palace in the English Premier League and won the Conference League with the London club. This triumph is regarded as a central reference point for his coaching career. The fact that the man from Upper Austria is now being considered as head coach at AC Milan shows that his work is also attracting attention on the international market. An engagement in Milan would take Glasner to Italian football for the first time.

Glasner's Career Path After Crystal Palace

Parallel to the talks with Glasner, rumors are circulating about a duo from Austria. According to media reports, there have also been contacts between AC Milan and Austrian team boss Ralf Rangnick regarding a possible role as sporting director. Thus, two prominent Austrian football figures could occupy key positions at the traditional club in the future.

The constellation is remarkable in several respects. On the one hand, Alaba would be a player returning to Italy who in his career has already played in Champions League finals with Bayern Munich and Real Madrid. On the other hand, the connection of Glasner and Alaba would strengthen Austria's footballing profile in one of Europe's strongest leagues. However, so far neither an agreement with Glasner nor a transfer of Alaba has been officially confirmed.

Milan and the Missed Champions League Spot

For Alaba himself, a move to Milan would be the chance of a new start after a long injury break. The defender has hardly been able to gain match practice in the past two seasons, which has noticeably dampened his market value development. An engagement at Milan, which would come about without a transfer fee, would offer him the opportunity to prove himself at the highest level and to recommend himself for upcoming major events in national team selection.

Milan, in turn, needs experienced players with a winning mentality in order to restore the connection to the Champions League places. The starting position ahead of the coming season is tense in view of the missed premier-class spot, especially as the competition in Serie A remains strong with Inter Milan, Juventus Turin, and SSC Napoli. A package of coach and player from Austria could give the club a new sporting profile.

Significance for Austrian Football

The reporting in "Gazzetta dello Sport" is considered one of the most influential sources in Italian football journalism. When the paper outlines a possible double deal of coach and player, this usually has at least the status of advanced soundings. An official confirmation from the club side is, however, still pending.

From the perspective of Austrian football, the double personnel matter would be a remarkable signal. Ralf Rangnick as team boss, Glasner as head coach of a European top club, and Alaba as his player – that would be a constellation that would underline the appreciation of Austrian coaching education and playing culture. The coming days are likely to show whether the talks take concrete shape.

What is certain: Both sides – Glasner and Alaba on the one hand, AC Milan and its owner Cardinale on the other – have an interest in starting the coming season with new impulses. Whether this will result in a formal engagement depends on the design of the contract details and the sporting strategy. Until then, the constellation remains a much-discussed topic in international football reporting.

Regardless of the outcome, the report by "Gazzetta dello Sport" shows that Milan's personnel planning is evidently aimed at internationally successful coaches and players with Champions League experience. In a club that, by its own standards, sees itself permanently in the European elite, a missed premier-class spot is considered unacceptable. The upcoming decisions will therefore be followed with particular attention.