Gabbia injury pushes Inácio to the top of Milan’s January shortlist

Matteo Gabbia’s injury has turned Milan’s search for a centre-back into a sharper January priority, with Sporting Lisbon captain Gonçalo Inácio reported as the club’s first choice. Leny Yoro is also on the shortlist, but Manchester United’s €50 million valuation is a major obstacle.

Gabbia suffered a tear to the flexor muscle in his left thigh, with partial tendon involvement, during Milan’s league match against Sassuolo. Calciomercato reports that a specialist consultation will determine his recovery plan. Surgery is a possibility, and he could be sidelined for four months; the report says he will not be available until 2027.

Milan are not expected to turn to the free-agent market. Strahinja Pavlović, Koni De Winter and Mario Gila remain the current first-choice defensive group, while greater responsibility is expected for other squad options, including Fikayo Tomori, who has been reintegrated. The January window is now the clearest opportunity to add the centre-back coach Ruben Amorim wants.

Inácio, born in 2001, leads the reported shortlist on Amorim’s recommendation. Milan made a €40 million offer in the summer, but Sporting could not find a replacement in time. The Portuguese club is now exploring alternatives, and A Bola reports it would not block a move if Inácio wants to join Milan and play in Serie A. He is contracted to Sporting until June 2030, so any deal still depends on the clubs reaching terms.

Yoro remains an alternative. The 2005-born Manchester United defender has had little playing time so far, which Calciomercato says could make negotiations easier. But United’s €50 million valuation remains the key hurdle—and is higher than Milan’s earlier offer for Inácio.

The timing matters for a Milan side sitting fifth with 12 points from six games and still unbeaten. The immediate focus is a home match against Atalanta on 18 October; the longer-term question is whether the club can secure a centre-back who can help cover Gabbia’s absence. On the reported shortlist, Inácio is the preferred option, while Yoro’s price may make that choice harder to pursue.