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#3 Leonardo Bonucci
AC Milan have historically had some amazing defenders in their team. They signed Leonardo Bonucci from Juventus in 2017 after the Italian had an amazing spell with the Old Lady.
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With experience under his belt, the veteran centre-back was expected to lead the Milan backline. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case as Bonucci struggled to impose his presence on the defense. Because of some poor performances, the Italian started running out of favor.
Had Milan shown more patience, it could have turned out to be different. Bonucci left after a season, making 51 appearances for Milan in all competitions. He rejoined Juventus in 2018 and is back to being successful, winning Serie A twice, making it a regretful decision for the Red and Blacks.
#2 Thiago Silva
Thiago Silva was signed by AC Milan from Fluminese in 2009. Under the management of Carlo Ancelotti and the guidance of Paolo Maldini, the Brazilian grew into a fine defender.
Over time, Silva imposed his authority at the back and had a commanding presence in the backline. His smart tackling and amazing aerial abilities were of utmost use to Milan. He made 119 appearances for the club in all competitions, winning one each of the Serie A title and the Supercoppa Italiana in three seasons.
At the Serie A club itself, Silva earned a lot of recognition around Europe, attracting interest from some of the top European clubs. Paris-Saint Germain were able to secure his signature with Carlo Ancelotti as their manager then in 2012.
He won seven Ligue 1 titles and ended up as a runner-up in the 2019-20 Champions League. Silva is currently performing brilliantly at Chelsea. Had the 37-year-old stayed with Milan, it would have made a ton of difference to their fortunes.
#1 Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Zlatan Ibrahimovic has played for a number of top European clubs and has certainly played for most of the top Serie A clubs. After falling out with Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola, the Swedish striker joined AC Milan on loan in 2010.
He then went on to win Serie A, which is why he was signed permanently the following season. Ibrahimovic, in his second season with Milan, scored 28 goals in 32 appearances, finishing the season as the league's top-scorer.
Surprisingly, the Serie A club opted to sell the Swedish superstar to Paris Saint-Germain in 2012. It was shocking considering how vital Ibrahimovic was to the team and since then Milan have failed to win the league.
At PSG, he scored 156 goals in 180 appearances across all competitions. However, he did return to the club in the winter of 2020 and is currently doing well with the club at the ripe age of 40.
