As the summer transfer window intensifies, AC Milan’s new Sporting Director, Igli Tare, shed light on the club’s priorities in a recent interview. The Rossoneri are actively searching for a new centre-forward: someone with different attributes than Santiago Gimenez and more in line with Olivier Giroud’s profile.
Tare explained: “We are evaluating profiles both in Italy and abroad. It’s a matter of characteristics, which are crucial for this team. Regarding the striker, we are looking for a reinforcement with different attributes compared to Gimenez, someone a bit like Giroud. We have to be smart enough to complete both aspects together.”
Taking Tare’s remarks as a starting point, we turned to our AI Scouting Tool on xvalue.ai to identify striker profiles that fit this vision.
The initial prompt was as straightforward as it gets: “As for the striker, AC Milan is looking for a reinforcement with traits similar to Olivier Giroud.”
The AI’s take was as follows: “Giroud is known for his role as a traditional target man, excelling in aerial duels and link-up play: qualities that align well with Milan’s offensive setup, which emphasizes efficiency in attack and a high number of touches inside the opponent’s box. To identify a similar profile, it’s essential to focus on players with strong aerial ability who can serve as a reference point in the final third. Additionally, the ability to receive passes and create chances is crucial to fitting into Milan’s playing style, which ranks well in terms of xG and touches in the opposition area. Therefore, the key parameters to consider include reception quality, chance creation, aerial ability, and shooting. These indicators ensure the player can not only serve as an effective target for crosses and long balls but also contribute meaningfully to the attacking phase with shots and assists.”
Top five AI-recommended profiles:
- Ermedin Demirovic (VfB Stuttgart, 27 y.o.)
- Dusan Vlahovic (Juventus, 25 y.o.)
- Benjamin Sesko (RB Leipzig, 22 y.o.)
- Niclas Füllkrug (West Ham, 32 y.o.)
- Thierno Barry (Villarreal, 22 y.o.)
Let’s now take a closer look at each of them, leveraging xvalue’s analytics tools and player reports.
1. ERMEDIN DEMIROVIC (Target Man, VfB Stuttgart)
The first player analyzed is Ermedin Demirović, currently playing for Stuttgart. In the image below, we can see his general profile: 27 years old, 185 cm tall, right-footed, and currently classified as a Target Man by Soccerment’s clustering model. This season, he has played 60% of the total available minutes.
The Bosnian striker’s career trajectory highlights a notable evolution in his role over the years. He began as a classic Target Man, later transitioning into an All-round Finisher, and was even classified as a Mobile Finisher during the 2022/23 season with Augsburg, when he frequently operated from wider areas. Notably, in the most recent campaign, he returned to a more central role as a Target Man, reaffirming his strengths in aerial duels and hold-up play.
His scoring output has significantly improved in recent seasons, recording 15 goals in back-to-back campaigns. During his time at Augsburg last season, while playing as an All-round Finisher, he also contributed 9 assists. In contrast, this past season, back in a Target Man function, he focused more on finishing, registering just one assist. However, we can see how his chance creation output was not strikingly different in terms of underlying performance, as revealed by his Expected Assists (xA).
2. DUSAN VLAHOVIC (All-round Finisher, Juventus)
Next, we analyze Dušan Vlahović, the central striker for Juventus, who has struggled to secure a consistent spot in the starting eleven – particularly toward the end of the most recent season. The 25-year-old Serbian stands at 190 cm, is left-footed, and was classified as an All-round Finisher during this season 2024/25.
Digging deeper, we see that Vlahović has predominantly been classified as a Target Man throughout his seasons in Italy: heavily oriented toward finishing and consistently displaying strong goal-scoring ability, reaching double figures in most seasons. He typically scores in line with or above his expected goals (xG), with the most recent season being a notable exception.
As a striker more focused on finishing than build-up play, his assist numbers have generally been modest. His personal best came this past season, with 4 assists.
Vlahović clearly stands out for his high volume of non-penalty shots per 90 minutes and touches in the opponent’s box per 90, confirming his natural tendency to focus on finishing and occupy central areas, rather than dropping deep to participate in build-up play. However, this season’s heatmap reveals a broader presence across the attacking third, extending beyond the penalty area: evidence that supports his classification as an All-round Finisher by our Player Functions model.
3. BENJAMIN SESKO (Mobile Finisher, RB Leipzig)
Let’s move on to Benjamin Šeško, the third striker in our analysis, currently playing for RB Leipzig. At just 22 years old, the Slovenian forward is already a hot topic in the transfer market. Right-footed and standing at an imposing 195 cm, he serves as the focal point of Leipzig’s attack and their primary finisher in the Bundesliga. Despite his physical presence, he was classified as a Mobile Finisher in the most recent season: highlighting his ability to move fluidly across the frontline rather than operate as a traditional target man.
Looking at his cluster classification and career development, it’s clear that Benjamin Šeško has undergone a notable shift in role and playing style during his two seasons at Leipzig. In his first season, he was identified as a Target Man, scoring 14 goals in 31 appearances and providing just 2 assists. In the most recent campaign, he transitioned into a Mobile Finisher, taking on greater playmaking responsibilities alongside his scoring duties. He maintained a consistent goal tally with 13 goals in 33 appearances, while also improving his creative output with 5 assists.
In the radar chart below, Šeško is compared to other forwards from the top five European leagues who played at least 900 minutes. Thanks in part to his height, he ranks among the top for Offensive Aerials, making a strong impact in attacking duels. However, he falls below average in most other metrics, raising questions about whether Mobile Finisher is the most accurate function for his profile.
The heatmap offers further context, showing that Šeško frequently dropped into deeper areas this season—both as a playmaker in the final third and as a ball progressor in wide zones near the halfway line. This positioning underlines his importance in RB Leipzig’s build-up play, extending beyond pure finishing duties.
4. NICLAS FULLKRUG (Target Man, West Ham)
Now let’s analyze Niclas Füllkrug, the West Ham striker who, despite limited playing time this season, remains an intriguing profile—especially as the current starting centre-forward for the German national team. Standing at 189 cm, right-footed, and classified as a Target Man this season, Füllkrug offers a physical and experienced presence up front.
From the career overview, we can see that after his first season at Hannover 96, where he was classified as a Mobile Finisher, Niclas Füllkrug gradually settled into the Target Man role, focusing on finishing and consistently occupying advanced zones. He has established himself as a reliable goal scorer, reaching double figures in multiple campaigns.
In his most recent season at West Ham, Füllkrug featured less prominently, making only 18 appearances and recording 3 goals and 2 assists, likely impacted by the transition from the Bundesliga to the Premier League. However, in previous seasons in Germany, he was a key figure for both Werder Bremen and Borussia Dortmund, scoring double-digit goals in the last 3 Bundesliga seasons. Beyond his finishing ability, Füllkrug has also evolved as a creator. Over the past four seasons, he has surpassed 5 assists in 3 separate campaigns.
Turning to the radar chart and heatmap analysis, we can see that Füllkrug primarily operated in the central area of the opponent’s box and the center-right zone of the attacking third. While the radar chart doesn’t show him excelling in any standout metric, there are a few individual strengths worth noting. Füllkrug ranks well in Offensive Aerials, percentage of touches in the final third, and open-play xA per 90 minutes. Despite being classified as a Target Man, this season’s heatmap reveals that he often dropped into deeper areas, showing greater involvement in the build-up and a tendency to create chances. This shift toward a more creative role is supported by the radar chart, which highlights his increased focus on assists rather than purely on finishing.
5. THIERNO BARRY (Target Man, Villarreal)
To analyze the final profile, we head to Spain, specifically to Villarreal in La Liga, where we find 22-year-old French striker Thierno Barry. Right-footed and standing at an imposing 195 cm, Barry is classified as a Target Man and was signed directly from FC Basel.
Throughout his career, Barry has evolved both in role and playing style—shifting from an All-round Finisher during his 2023/24 season at Basel to a Target Man at Villarreal, where he impressed by reaching double-digit goals in his first La Liga campaign.
It’s clear that this season, Barry has operated as a Target Man, primarily occupying the penalty area and the left-central zone of the attacking third. The radar chart highlights his standout performance in Offensive Aerials, where he capitalizes on his height and strength in aerial duels. Across the remaining metrics, he performs around the average for forwards in the top five European leagues, displaying solid contributions in both the finishing and playmaking phases.
Conclusions: Who Should Milan Bet On?
Considering Milan’s desire to find a striker similar to Giroud but different from Giménez, the ideal profile should offer:
- Aerial strength and physicality
- Intelligent movement and link-up play
- A balance between finishing and chance creation
- Tactical maturity and positional discipline
Let’s quickly recap the five AI-suggested candidates, evaluating how each fits Milan’s tactical needs:
Ermedin Demirovic
- Strengths: High xOVA, strong in aerial duels, proven ability to score.
- Fit for Milan: Tactically versatile and used to evolving roles. Could be an effective link-up man while maintaining finishing efficiency.
- Downside: Slightly under-the-radar profile with limited big-game exposure.
Dusan Vlahovic
- Strengths: Elite Serie A experience, consistent goal output, dominant presence in the box.
- Fit for Milan: Natural finisher with proven adaptation to Italian football; physically resembles Giroud’s style.
- Downside: Lower contribution in build-up and assist phases.
Benjamin Sesko
- Strengths: Mobile yet aerially dominant, still developing, and already impactful in a top league.
- Fit for Milan: Offers long-term potential and some versatility; could evolve into a complete striker.
- Downside: Inconsistent metrics and still refining his identity: may need time to settle into Giroud’s role.
Niclas Füllkrug
- Strengths: Excellent aerial metrics, reliable finisher, also contributes creatively.
- Fit for Milan: Very similar stylistically to Giroud; can play with his back to goal and feed runners.
- Downside: Age (32) and recent struggles for minutes at West Ham.
Thierno Barry
- Strengths: Physically imposing, promising goal record in La Liga, growing creatively.
- Fit for Milan: Still young but already showing signs of a classic reference striker.
- Downside: Less tested at the highest level; still raw in terms of decision-making and consistency.
From this perspective, Niclas Füllkrug and Ermedin Demirović emerge as the most aligned profiles. Füllkrug offers a near like-for-like replacement for Giroud, while Demirović adds a layer of versatility and dynamism that could bring a new dimension to Milan’s attack.
But now we turn it over to you: Which of these five would you choose to lead Milan’s frontline in the post-Giroud era? Let us know your thoughts and who you’d like to see wearing red and black next season. 👇⚫🔴
Thanks!
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