A new chapter is unfolding at AC Milan after a deeply disappointing 2025-26 Serie A campaign. The Rossoneri finished fifth, missing out on Champions League qualification, which triggered a sweeping purge of leadership. Owner Gerry Cardinale has now set in motion a radical restructuring modelled on the data-driven approach that transformed Liverpool under Fenway Sports Group.
Quick Facts:
New Head Coach: Ruben Amorim
Key Off-Field Appointment: Hendrik Almstadt (Sporting Director)
Previous Coach: Massimiliano Allegri (sacked)
2025-26 League Finish: 5th (missed Champions League)
Ownership: RedBird Capital Partners, led by Gerry Cardinale
A Clean Slate at San Siro
The end of the season brought swift and brutal change. Within 24 hours of the final match, Milan dismissed Massimiliano Allegri – the man who had won a Scudetto with the club in 2021-22 – along with a trio of senior directors: CEO Giorgio Furlani, sporting director Igli Tare, and technical director Geoffrey Moncada. The message from ownership was unequivocal: nothing less than complete reinvention would be tolerated.
“We need a structure that is sustainable, modern, and capable of competing at the very top,” Cardinale is understood to have told close associates. “If we keep doing the same things, we will get the same results.”
The appointment of Ruben Amorim as head coach was the first major move. The Portuguese, who turned Sporting CP into a force in Liga Portugal, has been tasked with implementing a high-pressing, possession-based style. However, his arrival is just one piece of a much larger puzzle.
The Liverpool Blueprint
Cardinale’s vision draws direct inspiration from Liverpool’s renaissance under Fenway Sports Group. Since acquiring the club in 2010, FSG’s use of analytics and a clear sporting identity propelled them to Premier League and Champions League glory. Milan now intend to replicate that model via the appointment of Hendrik Almstadt as the new sporting director.
Almstadt, formerly an executive at Aston Villa and part of the Red Bull football network, is a staunch advocate of data-informed recruitment. Alongside Amorim, he will spearhead a summer rebuild aimed at lowering the squad’s average age and fostering a distinct tactical philosophy. Sources close to the club indicate that several younger profiles in midfield and attack are already being monitored, while high-wage veterans could be moved on.
The risk, however, is substantial. Milan lack the financial muscle of Premier League rivals and must operate within Serie A’s constrained economic ecosystem. The new organisational chart also places immense faith in an untested combination of a rising coach and a sporting director with no previous experience in the Italian top flight. If the chemistry is off, another year outside the Champions League could have severe financial ramifications.
Key Takeaways
- Radical Overhaul: Milan have embraced a Liverpool-style organisational structure, betting on data and a unified football identity.
- Amorim Leads the Line: The 41-year-old coach is seen as the perfect figure to install a modern, energetic playing style.
- Almstadt’s Crucial Role: The former Red Bull and Villa man will dictate transfer policy, with an emphasis on youth and undervalued talent.
- High-Stakes Gamble: Without Champions League football, the financial pressure is on – and another failed season would be disastrous.
- Next Steps: Expect a busy summer window as Milan look to offload high earners and secure Almstadt’s primary targets.
The 2026-27 season will be a litmus test for Cardinale’s blueprint. Milan fans, still scarred by years of turbulence, will hope that this time the revolution is built to last.