Playing for a coach that favors pragmatism over flow, what could a Pulisic-led Milan look like next season?
Reaction to Massimiliano Allegri's reported return as Milan manager was largely met with one reaction: "Oh boy." Anyone who has followed Allegri-ball knows what it looks like – it doesn't tend to be particularly exciting.
The fact is, though, that, in the club's current iteration, Milan can't afford to be flashy. What they need is what Allegri does bring to any team he coaches: results.
It's a results-oriented business, so while the manner in which Allegri achieves those results isn't always the prettiest, he does tend to get them. Milan finished in eighth in Serie A this season, missing out on Europe entirely. The 57-year-old is reportedly agreeing to a two-year deal with and he'll take over a Milan team that needs wins next season, period.
For American fans, though, there are other questions. Christian Pulisic was one of the few bright spots for Milan this season, emerging as one of the most dominant attackers in Serie A. He led Milan in both goals and assists and is now widely expected to be a key figure in Allegri's front line.
However, considering he'll now be playing for a coach that favors pragmatism over flow, what could a Pulisic-led Milan look like next season?
On the flip side is Yunus Musah. Multiple Milan managers have failed to really unlock the U.S. international as he remains a midfielder with a lot of skills, but without a defined role. Ultimately, that has kept him from taking a big leap. Is Allegri the man who can ultimately help Musah discover who he can be?
Getty ImagesAllegri's history
Even with the wealth of legendary figures in Italian soccer, few coaches have done it better than Allegri. The winner of six league titles, five Coppa Italia trophies and three Supercoppa Italiana trophies, Allegri has cemented his place among the greats.
After spending the first seven years of his career managing smaller sides throughout the levels of the Italian game, Allegri took charge of Milan originally in 2010, remaining with the club for four years. He won the league in his first season, the club's first in six years, instantly cementing himself as the man in Milan.
His stint wasn't without a few mishaps, though, as his infamous misread of Andrea Pirlo's later career led the midfielder to join Juventus, kickstarting the Old Lady's run of dominance atop the Italian game.
Allegri, as it turns out, was a key figure in that dominance himself. He joined Juve in 2014 and won 11 trophies, headlined by a run of five consecutive league titles. In addition, the club reached two Champions League finals, but ran into Spanish buzzsaws Barcelona and Real Madrid to lose both.
After stepping away in 2019, he returned to the bench in Turin in 2021, but that tenure was far less successful. Juve, quite simply, weren't on the same timeline as Allegri, and he was sacked just days after winning the Coppa Italia in 2024.
Now, he's returned to Milan, looking to help return the club to its former glory, much like he did 15 years ago.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportThe tactics
Allegri isn't exactly known for free-flowing, high-octane soccer. This isn't Jurgen Klopp's heavy metal, by any stretch. No, Allegri-ball is pure, old-school pragmatism – and by and large, it's worked.
The base of every Allegri team is built on defense, which could certainly help this Milan team. Milan conceded 43 goals, about middle of the pack, but it's clear they would have been in a much better place if they had surrendered just a few fewer down the stretch.
Tactically, Allegri has generally shown a willingness to adapt to the team he has. He began at Juve with the team's trademark 3-5-2, but he wasn't afraid to make the big switch to a four-at-the-back system when the time called for it.
Many times, he would begin games in a 4-3-3 or a 4-3-1-2 before then reverting to old reliable three-at-the-back to see out victories, keeping lines tight and offering passing outlets when his side did have the ball. Allegri, generally, asks for calm in protecting a lead, not for the ambition of going to tack onto it.
That fact wasn't criticized often during this glory days at Juve but, during his second stint, Allegri came under fire for being too risk-averse. When the results stopped coming, Allegri's critics hit out at the aesthetics of his game, one which can quickly get a bit boring if his side doesn't have the individual quality to create the moments that define a game.
Getty Images SportHow Pulisic fits
Italian media has tipped Pulisic as one of the players Alleegri will be looking forward to working with, but it remains to be seen how he'll tactically use the American star.
Under both Paulo Fonseca and Sergio Conceicao, Pulisic operated on the right-hand side, the opposite of where he plays for the USMNT. On the right, Pulisic was an inverted winger, able to cut in and create, which is something he did to great effect. He ended up having the best season of his career, leading Milan in both goals and assists by the end.
Allegri, meanwhile, has an interesting history with wide players. He famously converted Blaise Matuidi into a winger, inspiring Didier Deschamps' decision to do the same en route to the 2018 World Cup. It seems unlikely he'll burn a wide spot on such a defensive decision, though, at least as long as he has both Pulisic and Rafael Leao.
However, things could get interesting if Allegri insists Milan play a 3-5-2. Could Pulisic serve as one of the two attackers up front, or would those spots go to Leao and Santi Gimenez? Could he feature as a No. 10 just behind? Would Allegri ever deploy him at wingback, as Chelsea did at times during the American's stint there?
Pulisic's contract is also a talking point. He has reportedly not yet signed long-term, and he'll no doubt have been waiting to see Milan's appointment before putting pen to paper – will Allegri's arrival encourage him to do so?
Getty Images SportHow Musah fits
Allegri has worked with some of the game's best midfielders. He encouraged Pirlo's magic. He helped turn Paul Pogba into a world-beater. He harnessed Arturo Vidal's energy and Claudio Marchisio's brilliance. He also certainly made an impact on American Weston McKennie, who proved to be key – but admittedly after some difficult moments – during Allegri's tenure.
So what does that all mean for Musah, a player who has never really gotten to show his best self? By the end of this season, the American midfielder was struggling at Milan, unable to impact the game on either end of the field. That's been a theme for Musah throughout his career: while he's been good at driving the ball forward with his dribbling, he hasn't been particularly good at creating with it nor winning it back once it has been lost.
Will Allegri find inspiration from how he used Matuidi? Multiple coaches, USMNT boss Mauricio Pochettino included, have used Musah as a wide player, taking advantage of his abilities while hiding his lack of defensive instincts.
“We tried to build his confidence by starting him in a different position to the one he has started in in the past. I think it was a good decision,” Pochettino said last fall after playing Musah out wide.“I think it’s always worth trying to build his confidence so he feels that he can do well on the pitch again.
“He just needs to be in a position where he can help the team, and look at that, he got into the final third and scored. It’s fantastic for him and fantastic for the team, and now maybe he will start to act differently, with lots of confidence.”
Whether as a wingback or a winger, Allegri could find uses for Musah out wide, even if it may hurt his development as a central midfielder. He could still play there, too, but it will be interesting to see if Allegri sees him as more of a defensive piece or one that can impact the attack.
The important thing to remember with Musah is that he is just 22, far from a finished product – despite all the world has seen from him so far in his career. Allegri is a coach that can certainly help him develop the tactical instincts to take a leap, which is something American fans have been waiting to see since the midfielder arrived at Milan from Valencia.