Following their troubling defeat to Sampdoria on the opening weekend of the season, AC Milan have moved swiftly to bolster their striking options with the additions of Bojan Krkic and M’Baye Niang.
Bojan, 22, has joined on a one-year loan deal from Roma while Niang, 17, has signed a three-year contract after Milan agreed a €2.5m (Dh11.5m) fee with Caen.
The new arrivals were on the same day Milan confirmed Robinho will be out of action for the next month with a thigh strain. The Rossoneri are already without Alexandre Pato for the same period of time with a muscular problem.
With Giampaolo Pazzini and Stephen El Shaarawy their only remaining fit strikers, Bojan and Niang could both be included for Saturday’s match against Bologna.
There are likely to be more new arrivals into the San Siro before the transfer window shuts on Friday with a loan deal for Liverpool’s Andy Carroll also a possibility.
Milan were humbled 1-0 by Sampdoria on Sunday, lacking impact in the final third following the summer departures of Zlatan Ibrahimovic to Paris Saint Germain and Antonio Cassano to Inter.
A prodigious talent in his teens, Bojan scored more than 500 goals at youth level for Barcelona but his career has not progressed at the predicted rate. He transferred to Roma last summer after his position in the Blaugrana squad had been taken by Pedro and Alexis Sanchez.
His first season in Italian football was a mixed one with seven goals in 33 appearances, 20 of which were as substitute. Zdenek Zeman’s decision to loan him to Milan has also raised the possibility of Roma bringing in another forward, potentially Giuseppe Rossi from Villarreal, also once a target of the Rossoneri.
Bojan, who turned 22 yesterday, said “I feel ready. I’m not afraid of anything. Milan is a great birthday gift for me.”
Niang has only scored five goals in 30 appearances for Ligue 2 Caen but is rated as one of the most promising talents in France. Scouted extensively by Juventus, Arsenal and Everton, he is capable of playing through the middle or as a wide forward.
Niang, whose playing style has been compared to Thierry Henry, said: “I have made a big dream come true by joining Milan. Now it’s up to me to prove that I’m good enough to be in this great club. “Am I the new Henry? I don’t like comparisons: Henry is Henry, and Niang is Niang.”
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