Sandro Tonali Signing Confirms Milan's Ambitions of Restoring Past Glories With Core of Golden Boys

Something exciting is bubbling away on the red and black side of Milano.

It's been a real rollercoaster year for Milan supporters. From the depths of Marco Giampaolo, to Stefano Pioli, to Ralf Rangnick and back to Pioli, things have been far from plain sailing. Despite plunging into some choppy waters and facing the eye of a storm in the opening six months however, I Rossoneri have come out the other side, boat in tact, face tilted towards the newly-shining sun.

With the Gods seemingly on their side, the Italian giants are going all out to build on this stroke of luck.

Brescia star Sandro Tonali looked destined to join Internazionale in the summer transfer window, and I Nerazzurri were so confident they'd landed their man, that they postponed concluding a deal until the completion of their Europa League campaign.

In that time, their bitter rivals pounced.

Preying on the Italian starlet's childhood affinity with I Rossoneri, Pioli convinced the midfielder to follow his dreams and pull on the red and black jersey of Italy's sleeping giants.

"Become a Milanista, and awaken us from our slumber," would have probably been the club's pitch to the sought-after wonderkid. And for any boy or girl who grew up cheering on the great Milan side of the 2000's, there can be no greater motivation than writing your name in the history books, alongside the likes of Paolo Maldini, Kaka, Gennaro Gattuso, Andriy Shevchenko, Hernan Crespo and co.

That dream is clearly one that has been sold to a number of youngsters in recent seasons, given that San Siro is now a hotbed for exciting prospects who are becoming the backbone of this Milan side.

After years of hurt, poor moves in the transfer market and infinite millions wasted on money-grabbing has-beens, they have now assembled an exciting core of youthful, courageous and determined starlets, all with the same ambition: to restore this club to its former glories.

From back to front, this team is sprinkled with the fearlessness of youth.

Unbelievably, Gianluigi Donnarumma is still a 21-year-old. Although it feels like the Italian has been around literally forever (and he has already made over 200 competitive appearances for I Rossoneri), he is still one of the youngest first-choice goalkeepers in world football. A scary thought.

The shot-stopper loves Milan too, and if the financials are right, he could well spend the rest of his career in Italy's economic capital, leading them back to glory.

The defence boasts a nice blend of youth and experience, with Theo Hernandez and Davide Calabria providing plenty of energy on the flanks, while the steady and reliable Alessio Romagnoli keeps the backline in check. The 26-year-old is the club captain, and will be happy wearing the armband for years to come.

The midfield is really exciting, though. Ismael Bennacer, 22, and Franck Kessie, 23, have excelled under Pioli's tutelage, and their return to form was the catalyst behind Milan's surge up the table in 2020. Kessie in particular has struggled since leaving Atalanta three years ago, but Milan supporters are finally beginning to see what the dynamic box-to-box midfielder can do.

So, the addition of Tonali into the heart of this team can only be a positive thing. This Milan side is severely lacking in depth, and having a born winner like the 20-year-old leading the charge will only help propel them back into Champions League contention.

New signing Brahim Diaz and Portuguese forward Rafael Leao will offer the pace and trickery needed in attack, while 26-year-old Ante Rebic somehow stands as one of the senior figures in the team.

Of course, with all this inexperience in the squad, you need an old head to pull it all together, keep everyone grounded, and remind them who's boss. Who better then, than the one and only Zlatan Ibrahimovic?

Many doubters reared their heads to shake in fierce dissatisfaction at the decision to cancel the pre-laid plans with Rangnick, but in truth, his services are not required - especially for the money they'd likely have to pay.

Rangnick is the man you hire to rebuild a squad, put a new stamp on a side and turn the club upside down. In reality, Milan have quietly been taking step after step in the right direction, piecing together a team worthy of challenging at the top end of Serie A once again. Thanks, but no thanks, Ralf.

Tonali's arrival is a marquee statement from I Rossoneri, and one that fits nicely into their bold and brave philosophy. To fulfil a dream, you must first find the men who share those ambitions - and Milan are finally on the long road back to glory.