M ilan’s Kalulu to miss clash against Napoli with calf injury

MILAN: Pierre Kalulu will miss AC Milan’s clash at Serie A leaders Napoli with a calf injury, the reigning Italian champions said on Monday.

In a statement, Milan said that centre-back Kalulu had injured his right calf and that new tests would be carried out in a week’s time.

That rules the 22-year-old out of Sunday’s trip to Napoli, who are 19 points clear of Lazio and weeks away from becoming champions of Italy for the first time since 1990.

Milan also face Napoli in an all-italian Champions League quarter-final next month.

Kalulu picked up the injury while on international duty with France Under-21s, and did not take part in their 4-0 defeat to England.

Milan are 23 points behind Napoli in fourth place and in a batle to qualify for next season’s Champions League.

Roma trail Milan by a single point with 11 games remaining, while sixth-placed Atalanta are a further two points back.

Meanwhile, Milan are interested in Empoli playmaker Tommaso Baldanzi but face competition and must resolve some other doubts first, a report claims.

According to Milan News, Lazio, Napoli and Roma as well as teams abroad are keen on signing Baldanzi who has four goals in 18 league appearances for Empoli this season, but it is the Rossoneri who are constantly following his games with particular atention.

The player is considered a fit for the Rossoneri’s project as his cost would be around €10-20m, he knows Serie A and he has a lot of room to grow.

The current ideal is to offer Maikol Cifuentes from the youth sector, who has never hit his stride due to injuries but is liked by Empoli and has a deal expiring in June 2024.

Baldanzi was a Milan fan growing up but it will be necessary to understand what his role with the team would be. The Diavolo are awaiting news on the Brahim Diaz front, given that Real Madrid are pressing to bring him back to the Bernabeu, while Yacine Adli is an unknown factor.

If both let it would leave only Charles De Ketelaere for the atacking midfielder role, and then Baldanzi would be the ideal signing because he is able to cover multiple roles.

Ante Rebic and Fode Ballo-toure feature on the list of players who could be sold by Milan this summer in order to raise money for purchases.