Saelemaekers, Origi, Ballo-Toure and more: How Milan’s loanees are getting on

By: Oliver Fisher

AC Milan have quite a long list of players out on loan at the moment across different levels of the Italian pyramic and in various European countries.

The management are rightly always trying to find the best possible conditions for players to grow, and that often means sending them to another club for a full season or half a year in order to play more regularly.

In addition, some of these deals have the added factor of an option or even an obligation to buy inserted which has implications in terms of the accounts, as opposed to just dry loans.

Our colleagues at SempreMilan.it have taken a look at each senior loan player (plus a couple from the Primavera) to assess both how they did in the last round of games and how they are faring overall.

Charles De Ketelaere – Atalanta

It was a weekend of mixed emotions for De Ketelaere who returned to San Siro as an opponent leading Atalanta’s attack alongside Aleksei Mirancuk. It was certainly not a positive performance for the Belgian, who found life tough against Malick Thiaw and Yacine Adli.

Generally speaking, however, Charles De Ketelaere’s season in Bergamo has been fantastic, as demonstrated by the 10 goals and 7 assists collected in 29 appearances, numbers clearly higher than what he accumulated in the Rossoneri shirt.

Atalanta will have to pay €23m in the summer to buy the Belgian international permanently, a choice that La Dea seems intent on making.

Alexis Saelemaekers – Bologna

Bologna-Verona was watched entirely from the bench for Saelemaekers due to a rest period granted by Thiago Motta for the winger, who has almost always been used this season.

For the former Rossoneri man, it has been a positive season thus far under the guidance of Motta, who is the favourite to replace Pioli at the end of the season at Milan. Saelemaekers has played 19 games in the league, amassing one goal and one assist.

Rade Krunic – Fenerbahce

There was a win over the weekend for Krunic’s Fenerbachce who emerged 2-1 victory against Kasimpasa in the league. The Bosnian midfielder has now played nine matches with the Istanbul club, in which he also accumulated an assist.

Krunic was allowed to leave in January via the formula of a loan with obligation to buy set at €5m plus bonuses. Fenerbahce are currently heading for the league title, so he could celebrate success (and it might trigger those bonuses in full).

Lorenzo Colombo – Monza

Colombo did not get onto the field during Monza’s 2-0 win against Salernitana, but nevertheless this season the striker has played 21 games in Serie A, scoring four goals.

It perhaps isn’t the return that the Italian hoped for after spending last season at Lecce, but he is back to playing a leading role within Raffaele Palaldino’s side, and he of course scored against Milan 10 days ago.

Divock Origi – Nottingham Forest

Origi played 45 minutes over the weekend in Nottingham Forest’s 4-2 defeat against Aston Villa. However, the Belgian got an assist, which adds to the only goal of the season scored in the FA Cup.

His experience with Forest has been disappointing to say the least having made just 13 appearances, for a total of 341 minutes. The threat of relegation looms for them too, which would make his return almost a certainty.

Fode Ballo-Toure – Fulham

Ballo-Toure did not even get a second on the pitch during Fulham’s surprise win against Manchester United on Saturday afternoon, and that continues a sad trend.

The Senegalese full-back is on loan with an option to buy and will almost certainly return to the Rossoneri at the end of the season given the very few appearances (five) he has accumulated in the Premier League.

Daniel Maldini – Monza

It was a positive weekend for Daniel Maldini who scored his first goal of the season with the Monza shirt, and it was decisive in the 2-0 victory at Salernitana.

For Paolo’s son it is the third match he has played with the Brianza after the seven played in the season with Empoli. The forward got an assist in their win over Milan too, for the winning goal scored by Warren Bondo.

Marco Nasti – Bari

Nasti played just one minute in Bari’s 1-0 defeat at Sudtirol. However, he has collected four goals in 25 appearances with the Serie B club in the current league season.

The former Cosenza loanee moved to the Puglia-based club on loan with an option to buy, but there is a buy-back that Milan can trigger.

Marko Lazetic – Fortuna Sittard

Another match watched from the stands by Lazetic in the Eredivisie, given the former Rossoneri striker was not included in the Fortuna squad against RKC Waalwijk.

The tally reads nine appearances and zero goals for Lazetic during his experience in the Netherlands. He is there on a dry loan that means he will return when the season ends

Devis Vasquez – Ascoli

After returning in January from his loan spell at Sheffield Wednesday, Vasquez joined Ascoli until the end of the season. He made the matchday squad for the first time over the weekend, but is yet to make an appearance.

Andrea Bozzolan – Perugia

Bozzolan was an unused substitute in the match that Perugia won against Juventus Next Gen. He has made 16 appearances in Serie C this year, almost all as a starter, but stopped until January 7th due to an injury which kept out almost two months.

Chaka Traore – Palermo

Only 11 minutes were played by the former Primavera star for Palermo during their draw with Cremonese at the weekend.

It was a second appearance for Chaka after just 60 seconds played towards the end of the Rosanero’s 3-0 win over Como. As a reminder, he is there on loan with an option to buy.

Luka Romero – Almeria

It has been an excellent start for Romero who scored a brace against Atletico Madrid over the weekend, playing as a right winger for 69 minutes of the game.

The Argentina signed from Lazio on a free transfer in the summer and it was his third La Liga appearance this season. It would be safe to say he has announced himself.

Marco Pellegrino – Salernitana

Pellegrino got 90 minutes in the defeat suffered by Salernitana against Monza 2-0. This is the third consecutive match as a starter for him with the Granata.