AC Milan acquired Joao Felix on loan from Chelsea this season in the hopes that he would spice up their attack, but the Rossoneri have quickly found out what the Blues, Atletico Madrid, and Barcelona already did before them; Felix is not someone who can be relied on.
As Milan’s attack has disappointed this season with summer striker signing Alvaro Morata making his way to Galatasaray in the winter, the club must regroup and find alternatives to players like Felix, who, per Calciomercato, isn’t going to be staying in Milan permanently with an option to buy of 41-45 million euros.
So with Felix set to exit Milan again, here are three players the Rossoneri could sign in the summer 2025 transfer window as an alternative.
Matheus Cunha, Wolves
An attacking midfielder and center forward, Matheus Cunha has bounced around Europe with past stops at RB Leipzig, Hertha Berlin, and Atletico Madrid before blossoming into one of the best players in the Premier League this season with Wolves.
Cunha is the reason why Wolves are safely out of the relegation zone, and his penchant for scoring bangers while creating with his feet have made him arguably the most entertaining player to watch in English football.
Although Cunha won’t come cheap, he has the game-changing playmaking ability and versatility to play on the wing, as a 10, or even as a center forward that Milan were hoping to get out of Felix. Even if he costs a little more than the Portuguese international, he’d be worth it.
Ademola Lookman, Atalanta
Within Serie A, Ademola Lookman has a very strong Player of the Season case, as Atalanta are squarely in the thick of the Scudetto battle largely thanks to his combination of goal-scoring and creation.
Lookman has played a key role in Mateo Retegui leading the Capocannoniere race, and while La Dea will be reticent to sell to a potential title rival, it’s only a matter of time before the Nigerian international leaves for a club with a bigger pedigree.
Milan would love to have Lookman, who would enter the discussion as a Rafael Leao replacement if the likes of Barcelona, Chelsea, or Arsenal are indeed serious about taking the most talented left winger off the market.
But Lookman has outperformed Leao and, thus by definition, every other Milan player this season. With 13 goals and 5 assists this year, there’s not much the 27-year-old can’t do in the attack.
Nico Paz, Como
On loan from Real Madrid, Como star Nico Paz is like this year’s Matias Soule breakout story, except he’s even better. Paz was a bigger prospect for Madrid who only didn’t make their first team because of a glut of talent at the 10 with Brahim Diaz, Arda Guler, and Jude Bellingham all playing in the attacking midfield.
Conversely, Milan just have Tijani Reijnders, and if they were interested in entertaining the idea of spending 40-45 million euros on Joao Felix at some point, then they should surely be over the moon about the potential to sign Paz for a similar amount.
Paz means a lot to Como and Como have money, but Milan have money, too, and a whole lot more status. Signing Paz would be a much bigger deal than signing Brahim on loan was, and Brahim wasn’t a bad player for Milan either. Paz is already a better player than Felix will likely ever be, harsh as that sounds.
Joe Soriano covers West Ham for Green Street Hammers and writes about Real Madrid for The Real Champs. He has extensive experience covering world football since 2014. Joe is an editor for The Trivela Effect, where he covers the biggest clubs in European football. He has watched professional sports regularly since 2002 and can be found playing the same sports he covers with his friends.