Rúben Amorim faces early scrutiny as AC Milan search for pre-season progress

Rúben Amorim is facing early scrutiny at AC Milan as the club approaches the final stage of pre-season without yet producing the level of consistency expected from its new tactical project.

The Times reports that questions are beginning to emerge over how quickly Amorim’s ideas can take shape after an uneven run of summer results, including a 3-0 defeat against Chelsea.

Milan’s pre-season has so far included draws against Celtic and Inter before the loss to Chelsea, a match in which the Rossoneri struggled to create sustained attacking pressure.

The results themselves are not enough to define the direction of a new project, but the performances have highlighted some of the challenges involved in introducing Amorim’s preferred 3-4-2-1 system.

That structure demands coordination between the wing-backs, midfield line and two attacking players operating behind the striker. When those connections are not functioning at the required level, Milan can become vulnerable in transition while also struggling to create space against organised defensive blocks.

Amorim is still working with a squad that was not built entirely around his ideas, and the club remains active in the transfer market as decisions continue over several first-team players.

That context is important when assessing Milan’s preparation. Pre-season is designed to test systems, physical levels and squad combinations, and several players have not been available throughout the full programme.

Even so, expectations surrounding Amorim are significant.

Milan presented his appointment as the beginning of a new sporting direction, with an emphasis on more aggressive football and a team capable of competing at the highest level domestically.

The next major test arrives against Manchester United on August 15. The friendly carries additional interest because of Amorim’s previous connection with the English club, but its greater significance for Milan will be the opportunity to show clearer progress before competitive football begins.

The Rossoneri open their Serie A campaign against Torino on August 23, leaving limited time for the coaching staff to refine the structure and establish greater consistency.

Amorim has publicly maintained that the priority remains preparing the team for the first official match rather than placing excessive importance on individual pre-season results.

That position is reasonable, but the final stages of preparation will still influence the mood around the club heading into the new campaign.

For Milan, the immediate objective is therefore not to produce a definitive version of Amorim’s team before the season begins, but to demonstrate that the tactical principles are becoming clearer and that the squad is responding to the demands of the new system.

The Manchester United match offers one final high-profile opportunity to show that progress before the competitive pressure of Serie A begins.