The Rossoneri are reshaping the entire sporting structure around Rangnick as technical chief and Tiago Pinto as sporting director — but with Ibrahimović still acting as ownership’s top advisor, balancing so many strong personalities could become a dangerous gamble.
AC Milan could be preparing for one of the most radical restructurings in club history.
Following a disastrous finish to the season and the recent dismissal of major figures across the sporting department, Milan has intensified discussions with Ralf Rangnick about leading the club’s reconstruction project.
And the German executive has reportedly made his demands crystal clear.
According to Italian reports, Rangnick met Tuesday in Vienna with Gerry Cardinale, Zlatan Ibrahimović, and representatives of RedBird Capital Partners to outline the conditions under which he would leave his role as head coach of the Austria national football team after the 2026 World Cup.
The meeting reportedly produced positive impressions on both sides, although no final agreement has yet been reached.
Unlike the failed 2020 negotiations — when Rangnick was expected to arrive as Milan’s head coach before Stefano Pioli ultimately stabilized the project — this time the German would take on a broader strategic role.
Milan is considering appointing Rangnick as head of the entire technical area, effectively placing the club’s football operations under his control.
And Rangnick reportedly wants significant authority.
Among his main requests:
- the power to personally choose the next Milan head coach;
- the ability to bring in his own collaborators and scouting staff;
- direct influence over youth development and talent identification;
- and broad autonomy to reshape Milan’s sporting structure according to the high-intensity model he previously developed across the Red Bull GmbH football network, especially at RB Leipzig.
In other words, Rangnick is not interested in being a symbolic advisor.
He wants operational control.
That scale of influence is precisely why Cardinale and Milan’s leadership are proceeding cautiously despite the encouraging initial summit.
The ownership group reportedly wants additional internal discussions with Ibrahimović and CEO Giorgio Furlani’s potential replacements before making a final decision.
Timing also matters.
Rangnick remains under contract with Austria through the World Cup, and there is sensitivity around not destabilizing the national team project ahead of the tournament in the United States.
The German coach is highly respected in Austria after guiding the national team back to the World Cup for the first time in 28 years and delivering an impressive Euro 2024 campaign that included winning a group ahead of both France and the Netherlands.
Still, the attraction of rebuilding Milan appears very real.
Rangnick himself carefully addressed the rumors during a public event this week.
“Probably everyone noticed that something extraordinary happened at Milan last weekend,” he said, while also insisting publicly that the Austrian federation remains his only official contractual counterpart.
Behind the scenes, however, Milan is simultaneously evaluating multiple parallel scenarios.
One of the biggest questions remains the coaching position.
Andoni Iraola continues to hesitate despite Milan’s offer, with the Crystal Palace FC job potentially offering both higher salary and greater transfer-market flexibility.
If Iraola ultimately declines, Ibrahimović is reportedly prepared to intensify talks with Xavi Hernández, while the name of Thiago Motta is also beginning to circulate internally.
At executive level, former AS Roma sporting director Tiago Pinto has emerged as a possible addition to the new structure.
Ironically, Pinto rebuilt his reputation at AFC Bournemouth — working alongside Iraola.
The next few days could now determine whether Milan fully commits to Rangnick’s vision.
If it does, the club would not simply be hiring another executive.
It would be embracing an entirely new football philosophy.
