€35m done deal: Who is Noah Okafor, the new AC Milan signing?

Noah Okafor is expected to undergo his medical with Milan on Saturday: here’s what to expect from the Swiss striker and where he will play under Stefano Pioli.

Multiple sources in Italy claim the Rossoneri have reached an agreement with Salzburg to sign the 23-year-old striker who will undergo his medical on Saturday. He is valued at €35 million.

The Switzerland international scored one goal against Milan last season in a Champions League group-stage game.

He joined Salzburg from Basel in January 2020 to replace Erling Haaland who had signed for Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund. Okafor has scored 34 goals in 110 appearances with the Austrian side.

He is 1.85m tall and mainly plays as a centre forward, but he can also be deployed on the right or left wing thanks to his pace and quality with the ball at his feet.

On paper, he will alternate with Olivier Giroud in the Rossoneri’s attack in 2023-24, but could also start on the left when Rafael Leao needs to rest or on the right in place of Christian Pulisic, Alexis Saelemaekers or Samuel Chukwueze who seems to be very close to joining Milan too.

Stefano Pioli revealed last week that he wanted fast and strong players in one vs. one situations for the right wing and both Okafor and Chukwueze fit the description.

According to Transfermarkt, Okafor has scored 25 goals in 64 appearances as a centre forward, 17 in 64 games on the left wing, and nine in 38 matches on the right flank.

His best season was in 2021-22 when he scored 14 goals in 34 games with Salzburg. He managed 10 in 32 appearances with the Austrian side last term.