Paolo Maldini return would help AC Milan re
Sumeet Paul Cesar Hernandez Sam Tighe Sam Marsden Alex Kirkland Dale Johnson Chris Wright Graham Hunter Mark Ogden Emily Keogh
Paolo Maldini's presence in any takeover of AC Milan would certainly be a welcome sight for many fans.
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Amid speculation that AC Milan were set to make major changes at all levels two years ago, Paolo Maldini was linked with a return to the club. While it failed to materialise on that occasion, his presence in any takeover would certainly be a welcome sight for many fans.

The 46-year-old is well respected and undoubtedly has the Rossoneri in his heart, and it has long been argued that he should have had a bigger influence within the club with a position in the front office after his retirement.

Despite both Leonardo and Massimiliano Allegri requesting to have him involved in some capacity, his introduction was rejected on both occasions as the former full-back's relationship, or lack of, with CEO Adriano Galliani was a problem.

The opportunity to shift the power and start a fresh cycle was there for Milan in 2012, but instead they opted to divide the responsibility between Galliani and Barbara Berlusconi and ultimately the results haven't been much different.

Berlusconi's vision was both modern and exciting, and if implemented when she pushed for it a few years ago, the club's situation could look entirely different at this stage. Instead, the squad continues to underachieve and lacks an identity that continues to result in inconsistency and disappointment on the pitch.

Admittedly, some of the more recent signings have been intriguing, with the likes of Alessio Cerci and Mattia Destro arriving, but Maldini's appointment would have reinvigorated the club and would have given Berlusconi Jr the chance to extend her influence beyond her current duties,

While she plays a prominent role in the business side of the club, Galliani continues to run the rule on the sporting aspect. The contrast in progress is there for all to see, as while Silvio Berlusconi's daughter has introduced Casa Milan and is pushing for the new stadium, Galliani is arguably still where he was two years ago -- being ridiculed by the supporters.

Essentially, Maldini would bring a fresh approach with him and will give the players, fans and entire club a lift, which is in contrast to the stale and tired offering being served up by the current administration.

It is worth noting that this could be a case of 'be careful what you wish for' as he may well fail to have the impact that the fans both want and expect. For all his flaws in the transfer market, Galliani's name still holds a lot of weight and can make a difference in negotiations.

Nevertheless, if there is a change in ownership then why not freshen up the whole look of the hierarchy by taking a risk instead of sticking with what is safe which has shown no signs of significant development over the past two years?

It comes as no surprise that reports suggest that prospective Thai investor Bee Taechaubol is supposedly interested in bringing in Maldini. The Milan legend recently insisted that the club has lost its values in yet another damning verdict of their current state.

While it can come across as bitter, it is difficult to find anything that Maldini has noted in recent years that isn't true. Instead of glazing over the issues and pretending that all is well and things are guaranteed to improve, perhaps Milan need him rustling a few feathers inside the club to inspire the next group of players to perform to a standard that is acceptable when representing a giant of European football.