Ask Mina: Is Loftus-Cheek Milan's main man and will Olise eventually fill Mohamed Salah's boots at Liverpool?

In her weekly Q&A, The National's resident expert addresses topics from around the football world

Ruben Loftus-Cheek scored in Milan's win over Lecce before the international break. Reuters

Q: Ruben Loftus-Cheek back in the England squad. Could he be the heartbeat of Milan’s midfield now?

@Carl.anka via Instagram

A: He could be. AC Milan fans were furious at the sale of Tijjani Reijnders, particularly for a fee many considered too low for a player of his quality. New sporting director Igli Tare was asked how the club could possibly replace the irreplaceable. His answer was telling: “Milan has Loftus-Cheek, one of the most complete midfielders in Europe. He can be fundamental this season.” It is an assessment that Max Allegri appears to share.

Loftus-Cheek has started all three of Milan’s fixtures so far, scoring in his last outing against Lecce and proving decisive with his late runs into the box. After years of setbacks, he now looks ready for a central role. He has already missed 37 games at Milan through injuries and even appendicitis, but the Italian giants hope he can finally stay fit and deliver.

Former Chelsea assistant coach Luca Gotti said of the player: “He’s got an incredible shot and a sense of timing when he makes runs into the box. He’s a vertical, modern player. When he feels the trust of the dressing room, he transforms.” That trust now seems firmly in place.

Competition for places will be fierce, especially with Adrien Rabiot’s arrival. Allegri has used the Frenchman more than any other coach in his career, but it is clear that he has invested time and faith in Loftus-Cheek. Pre-season was built around his versatility, whether as a central midfielder, box-to-box presence or even as a second striker. Allegri values his intelligence, energy and desire to run while the Englishman has already heaped praised on his new coach.

Whether he remains Allegri’s first choice will be based on how well he continues to perform.

Q: Do you think the sacking of Erik ten Hag was fair?

@Tony_vivek via Instagram

Leverkusen pulled the plug on Ten Hag after just three competitive matches — the DFK Pokal cup win over Sonnenhof Grossaspach, a league defeat to Hoffenheim and a 3-3 collapse against Werder Bremen after being 3-1 up against 10 men. Was his sacking fair? "This decision was not an easy one for us. Nobody wanted to take this step," Leverkusen sporting director Simon Rolfes said in a statement.

On the surface, yes, the Bremen draw and Hoffenheim loss were ugly. But really, this was less about the results and more about what transpired in those games. Ten Hag was tasked with the impossible by following Xabi Alonso, whose football had seduced the squad and whose charisma made him beloved. Add to that, the club lost Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong to Liverpool, Jonathan Tah to Bayern Munich, and captain Granit Xhaka to Sunderland. That’s four pillars ripped out in one summer.

Bayer Leverkusen parted ways with head coach Erik ten Hag after only three games in charge. EPA

Ten Hag has his alibis but apparently his communication skills were considered too abrasive. Staff were said to have found it difficult to connect with him. More importantly, players never warmed to his style or his methods. The connection wasn’t there. And Leverkusen recognised quickly that this was a misstep. You can argue it’s harsh, or premature, Ten Hag certainly did, saying he wasn’t given the “time and trust” to build. There’s two schools of thought, either pull the plug quickly and correct course or give a coach time and maybe he’ll surprise. Leverkusen opted for the former.

This has been a costly experiment from the club especially considering they had plenty of time to plan for a future without Alonso.

Q: Do you think Michael Olise would leave Bayern Munich to sign for Liverpool when Mo Salah leaves?

@Alastairleck via Instagram

A: Olise has many of the qualities Liverpool will eventually need when Mohamed Salah departs: a left-footed right winger who cuts inside, is technically gifted, and works hard for the team. Since joining Bayern Munich from Crystal Palace, Olise has produced 24 goals and 23 assists in 59 appearances. His dribbling, vision and delivery would fit seamlessly into Liverpool’s attack, where wide forwards are expected to create as much as they score.

Liverpool have been planning for life after Salah. The Egyptian remains prolific and is under contract until 2027, by which point he will be 35, so there is no rush. The club have also just committed almost £450 million to new signings, including attacking reinforcements, so they will continue to assess what the attack needs and who would fit.

Michael Olise in action for Franc during the 2026 World Cup qualifier against Iceland. AFP

Olise is tied to Bayern until 2029 and valued at around £100m, with that figure certain to rise if he continues to deliver these insatiable performances. They are expected to offer him improved terms to secure his long-term future. The German champions see him as central to their project, so I doubt he’s thinking about his next move yet.

There are still areas for growth. Olise is not as prolific in front of goal as Salah, and he will need to raise his output in decisive moments. But with time, maturity and experience at the highest level, he could become one of Europe’s most complete wingers. Liverpool will keep tracking him but there is reported interest from Real Madrid while Paris Saint-Germain have long admired the player.

Q: Who ends the season with more goals, Lorenzo Lucca or Rasmus Hojlund?

@Austin_gaius_ on Instagram

A: Napoli paid approximately €6 million to Manchester United to bring Rasmus Hojlund in on loan for the season, with an option to buy for a further €44m. If I had to back one of them to outscore the other this season, I would lean towards the Dane, simply because he is bound to start more often.

Napoli chose to bring in Hojlund after Romelu Lukaku suffered an injury that will keep him out for at least three months. Head coach Antonio Conte wanted another option but didn’t go for a player with the same skills as the Belgian but rather one who offered tactical alternatives. The Dane is a different type of forward entirely. He thrives when attacking space and running directly into the penalty area rather than holding up the ball with his back to goal.

His time at Manchester United ended badly, with only four goals in 32 league appearances, but he boasts power and the turn of speed that Conte admires in players. They needed that vertical threat, and Conte has proved he is more tactically adaptable than before, willing to set his team up in different ways.

Lucca, meanwhile, cost the club more than €30m and is also part of the plan for life after Lukaku. At 25 he represents another important long-term investment, and his profile is different again: taller, more physical, more suited to Conte’s reliance on crosses and aerial duels.

Napoli are keen to keep thinking ahead, ensuring they build a team for Conte but also one for the future. Whether it is Hojlund’s power in transition or Lucca’s strength in the box, the club see both as pieces of a long-term project.

For now, though, the answer is Hojlund. Minutes matter, and he is more likely to get them.