Milan are preparing to return for Gonçalo Inácio in the January mercato, according to Gazzetta dello Sport, with Mario Gila's early-season numbers laying bare a depth problem at centre-back that the club can no longer ignore.
The Spaniard has been everything Milan hoped for since arriving from Lazio. In 251 minutes on the pitch this season, the Rossoneri have not conceded a single goal; in the minutes without him, they have conceded twice. Gazzetta describes him as "irreplaceable," and the data backs the eye test. Gila has added composure in possession and defensive solidity in equal measure, quickly establishing himself as a leader in the back line.
The concern is not Gila's quality but his availability. He has already had to come off during matches with minor problems, including a knee issue at the Allianz. That pattern is not new. In his final months at Lazio, from February 2026 onwards, Gila made 10 starts and seven substitute appearances but completed only three full games. Milan need him for every minute, and recent evidence suggests they will not always get that.
Behind him, the options are thin. Koni De Winter, Matteo Gabbia, Pietro Terracciano, Sankhoun Diawara and, eventually, Fikayo Tomori make up the remaining defensive cover. Gabbia is dealing with an ankle issue, Tomori's situation remains tied to the summer, and none of the alternatives currently offer the same leadership or reliability that Gila provides.
That is why, according to Gazzetta, a January move is expected. Inácio is considered capable of "further raising the bar" alongside Gila, and the report frames the Sporting CP defender as a potential early signing for Milan and Rubén Amorim. The message from within the club, per Gazzetta, is clear: they cannot afford a repeat of the summer, when reinforcements arrived too late.
Whether Milan can get Inácio through the door before the new year depends on negotiations with Sporting, but the urgency on the club's side leaves little room for a drawn-out saga.