Chapter 8: Sixth Rank or Super Substitute

Chapter 8: Sixth Choice or Super Sub

After this match, AC Milan’s next opponent was the Club América team from the Mexican league.

However, Lemo only got to play in the 80th minute this time and failed to score.

Lemo didn’t notice anything amiss. Even against Club América, AC Milan couldn’t find the net.

The match ended in a goalless draw.

After the game, Milan’s media and fans began criticizing Allegri for giving Lemo too little playing time.

Even from afar in the United States, Allegri felt the pressure.

Fortunately, after this match, AC Milan’s first major signing for the new season arrived.

AC Milan reached an agreement with Inter Milan. The Italian international striker Pazzini transferred to AC Milan and quickly joined the first team in the U.S.

Pazzini’s impact was immediate.

In the third International Champions Cup match, AC Milan drew 2-2 with Chelsea, with Pazzini scoring both goals.

This significantly eased Allegri’s pressure.

After playing three International Champions Cup matches, the televised friendlies for AC Milan’s new season ended.

The team then returned to Italy.

New signings began to arrive, although most were free transfers or loans, with little real expenditure.

Still, Galliani’s transfer dealings were masterful.

After many departures, AC Milan also brought in numerous players.

Lemo was most concerned about the reinforcements up front.

Besides Pazzini, before the new season began, on August 11, the “new Messi” Boyang joined on loan, and on August 17, the young forward Nian, holding both French and Senegalese citizenship, was signed.

As a result, although Lemo was not discarded by the first team, his place in the pecking order slipped far back.

Looking at the series of friendlies after returning to Milan, Pazzini, Pato, and Robinho were obviously ahead of him, as were El Shaarawy, Boyang, and Nian.

Moreover, in the friendlies, Pazzini and Boyang showed excellent form.

The media and fans, who had recently praised Lemo highly, soon forgot about him.

The new Serie A season quickly began amid admiration for Galliani’s cycling trips across Europe scouting free agents.

Though many players had left, fans remained hopeful because of the numerous new signings.

However, in the first two rounds of the new season, AC Milan suffered two home defeats.

On August 25, in the first round of Serie A, AC Milan lost 0-1 at home to Sampdoria.

On August 31, in the second round, they lost 0-1 at home again, this time to Atalanta.

Two consecutive 0-1 home losses left AC Milan with zero points and a goal difference of -2.

Thanks to goal difference, they ranked 16th, just above Pescara, Palermo, Bologna, and Udinese, narrowly avoiding the relegation zone.

In this situation, Allegri was utterly stressed.

He urgently pressured Galliani to sign a forward who truly commanded a transfer fee—those previously joining on loan or free transfers would not be so cheap if they were truly outstanding.

Most top-class forwards share one trait: they are expensive.

The veterans were cleared out; Ibrahimović and Silva were sold to Paris Saint-Germain.

Allegri bore the brunt of criticism, but the real decision-maker was Galliani—though he did not face media or fan pressure directly, he certainly felt the weight from his boss.

Therefore, Galliani was desperate to bring in a proven striker still in his prime before the summer transfer window closed.

He had his eye on Italy international Balotelli, then at Manchester City but increasingly marginalized there.

However, Manchester City insisted on €20 million plus €3 million in add-ons.

Galliani hoped they might lower the price by a few million, perhaps €17 million plus €3 million in add-ons.

Galliani bit his lip and stamped his foot—AC Milan could afford that money, but twenty million was really beyond their means.

Truly, every penny counts.

Facing a similar predicament was Arsenal’s coach Wenger.

The Premier League had already played three rounds.

Arsenal had not lost but also had not won.

All three matches ended in 0-0 draws.

Considering their opponents—Sunderland, Reading, Queen’s Park Rangers—all relegation favorites, the pattern was clear: total dominance but no goals.

For Wenger, the situation was troubling.

Fortunately, after three rounds, there were two weeks of international breaks for adjustments.

But Arsenal’s inability to score since Van Persie’s departure was a persistent headache.

Giroud worked hard; he was strong and a good forward pivot.

Yet he was not the kind of clinical finisher needed upfront.

Three matches in a row, Arsenal’s attack was barren.

Selling Van Persie that summer had fueled fans’ doubts about Wenger and the club.

If he could, Wenger wouldn’t have let Van Persie leave.

But what choice did he have?

Arsenal could not refuse over £20 million and risk losing Van Persie for free next year.

In any case, Wenger now urgently needed a goal scorer.

In his office at the Colney training ground, Wenger furrowed his brow, then looked up and asked the head of scouting,

“Lemo! How’s Lemo doing recently?”

“You mean AC Milan’s Lemo?”

“Yes, him!”

Inside the office, the coaching staff exchanged glances.

“He hasn’t gotten playing time in Serie A; looking at Milan’s forward lineup, he’s their sixth choice.”

“Sixth choice striker?” Wenger was surprised.

Based on his performance in that friendly, Lemo shouldn’t be at that level.

Wenger stood up, and after a moment his gaze sharpened.

“Make an offer for Lemo from AC Milan!”

“An offer for… him?”

“What’s the matter?” Wenger asked, noticing the hesitation from Black, head of transfers.

Black awkwardly replied, “We need a striker who can solve our problems.”

“I believe he can solve our problems!” Wenger said firmly.

“But he’s only seventeen,” assistant coach Bould added.

“I know, but I’m not asking him to start,” Wenger said.

“He’s a killer up front and will be our super sub. Of course, if he proves competitive enough, starting him wouldn’t be a problem either!”

[End of chapter]