Injury crisis one step closer to being over: Musacchio will reportedly return against Bologna

AC Milan have been using a makeshift defense for the past few weeks as, as regular starters Alessio Romagnoli and Mateo Musacchio have both been out injured. However, it appears that one of them looks be to be ready to go against Bologna.

Musacchio is reportedly ready to return to the lineup against Bologna this weekend, but will not be fit in time for Milan’s visit to Olympiacos in the Europa League on Thursday, meaning that Ignazio Abate will likely have to deputize again and play in central defense alongside Cristian Zapata. Gennaro Gattuso could also recall Stefan Simic, as he played in the last Europa League match against Dudelange.

Milan is still missing captain Romagnoli and the big summer defensive acquisition, Mattia Caldara, who joined from Juventus as part of the deal that sent Leonardo Bonucci back to Turin and Gonzalo Higuain to the San Siro.

The defense has been solid over the past few weeks, despite the number of absences, but it will be still be good have a natural central defender lining up rather than relying on Abate, a right back, to play in defense. Zapata has also been playing decently, but history indicates that he is not a permanent solution at central defense and it best relied on to be a spot starter or a rotation player rather than a permanent option on the backline.

Milan have been linked with a number of defenders in the January transfer window, and while it would not be surprising to see another player join in a few weeks, if Musacchio is fit and comes back strong, Leonardo and the management at the club might decide to use their resources to reinforce a different area of the club such as midfield or striker. Lucas Paqueta has already joined from Flamengo in Brazil, but with Lucas Biglia and Giacomo Bonaventura out for extended periods of time, it wouldn’t be surprising to see another midfielder join the fray in the next transfer window.