Capello Reacts to Milan’s Cut List: ‘Amorim Must Have Seen Something in Nkunku He Didn’t Like’

FolioPitch.com – 15 August 2026 | Fabio Capello has weighed in on the current state of affairs at AC Milan, suggesting that Ruben Amorim must have seen something in Christopher Nkunku that he didn’t like. The French midfielder has been put on the list of players who are no longer crucial to Amorim’s plans, alongside Youssouf Fofana, Fikayo Tomori, and David Odogu.

Capello, speaking in an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, explained that Tomori is the most surprising name to end up on the list. ‘Tomori is the one I thought might be useful to Amorim in some way,’ said Capello. ‘Let’s not forget that he was a starter last season and also played for Milan when they won the Scudetto and reached the semi-final of the Champions League.’

Capello argued that Tomori isn’t the defender who is good at setting up play in the way that the coach probably prefers. However, given the set of defenders currently in the squad, he would have thought carefully before getting rid of the Englishman.

Instead, it appears that Milan may have to dip into the transfer market to pick up a replacement defender. ‘If you were to tell me that Milan will go and sign someone like Nesta from the good old days, then I’d hold up my hands and walk Tomori out of the door myself,’ said Capello. ‘Playing with the ball a lot of the time means we lose track of what a defender’s most important task is, and that is to defend.’

On Milan’s midfield, Capello said that he believes the coach wants to focus on Jashari a lot, who he sees as a good fit for his style of play. Milan will still depend on Modric a lot, and he turns 41 in September. ‘The Croatian won’t be able to play every single minute,’ said Capello. ‘Behind him, there’s Comotto, who is a very interesting young man and it’s right that he’s in the squad.’

Capello was asked what he made of the fact that Nkunku has ended up on the list of sacrificable Milan players this summer. ‘I thought the Frenchman would have had space in Amorin’s 3-4-2-1 but instead he’s excluded from the project,’ said Capello. ‘Clearly the coach has seen something in training he doesn’t like.’

Nkunku is out of Amorim’s plans, but it remains to be seen whether Rafael Leao will stay or go before the close of the summer transfer window. ‘We’ll see,’ said Capello. ‘As I’ve already said, if Leao really were to stay, things won’t be easy for him.’

Capello also argued that Milan still needs to improve in certain areas, particularly in the final third. ‘I expect a creative player who can make a difference,’ he said. ‘If Leao stays, he’s not a guarantee and a bit of healthy competition would do him good.’

However, Capello believes that 17-year-old Francesco Camarda has the potential to be a regular starter for Milan. ‘I see a lot of potential in Camarda,’ he said. ‘He knows how to move in the box and has a lot of quality.’

Capello concluded that Milan still needs to work on their defense and find a suitable replacement for Tomori. ‘We’ve spoken about the defender, and in my opinion, it’s not just a need for someone to make up the numbers but a starter instead.’

Capello Amorim must have seen something in Nkunku he didn’t like, and it remains to be seen whether Rafael Leao will stay or go before the close of the summer transfer window. The French midfielder’s exclusion from the project is a surprise, and it will be interesting to see how this situation develops.