10 forgotten AC Milan players from the last 30 years

AC Milan are rightly remembered as one of football's greatest clubs with a host of iconic players achieving legendary status over the years.

But they have not always been a dominant European force — particularly in more recent times — and therefore plenty of stars have made less of a mark at the San Siro.

We pick out 10 players you probably forgot turned out for the Rossoneri.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2007-2011)

Milan surely regret letting a young Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang leave for Saint-Etienne in 2011.

The Gabonese striker failed to make a senior appearance for the Italian giants but went on to star for the likes of Borussia Dortmund, Arsenal and Barcelona. 

He is now back in France with Marseille after an unhappy spell with Chelsea.

Leonardo Bonucci (2017-18)

Leonardo Bonucci was meant to be the man to lead Milan into a brave new era when he ended his successful reign with Juventus to join in 2017.

But after an underwhelming campaign, the decorated centre-back was back in Turin within a year, spending another five seasons there before joining Union Berlin last summer.

Fernando Torres (2014)

AC Milan were one of a number of clubs Fernando Torres tried and failed to rediscover the form of his memorable Liverpool days with.

El Nino's infamous £50million Chelsea move had been written off as something of a disaster when he joined Milan on loan in 2014 before finding himself back at Atletico Madrid within six months.

Michael Essien (2013-14)

Michael Essien's best days undoubtedly came for Chelsea and Lyon and his one campaign in Serie A is less well remembered.

Having left the Blues in 2014, the Ghanaian defensive midfielder made 22 appearances for a struggling Milan team that finished a disappointing 10th.

Gerard Deulofeu (2017)

Unlike many of the stars in this list, Gerard Deulofeu's brief stint in black and red is actually remembered positively.

The Spaniard notched four goals and three assists in 18 appearances during a loan move from Everton, prompting Barcelona to re-sign their academy graduate. 

But he disappointed on his return to the Camp Nou and moved to Watford a year later.

Fabricio Coloccini (1999-2004)

Fabricio Coloccini rose to prominence with Deportivo La Coruna and Newcastle but not before a five-year spell with Milan that saw him shipped out on loan four times.

Despite being regularly used by the likes of Alaves, Atletico Madrid and Villarreal, the Argentine centre-back made just five appearances for the Rossoneri and left in 2004.

Lucas Ocampos (2016-17)

Fellow Argentine Lucas Ocampos is another who found success after leaving the San Siro having gone on to star for Sevilla since 2019.

The 29-year-old played a key role in two Europa League triumphs for the Spanish side but not before an uneventful season-long stint on loan with Vincenzo Montella's Milan from Marseille.

Jens Lehmann (1998-99)

Jens Lehmann became an Invincible with Arsenal but his first move to a big club did not go as successfully.

Arriving in Italy after an 11-year spell with Schalke, the goalkeeper struggled to live up to expectations at the San Siro and he returned to Germany with Borussia Dortmund the following January.

Adel Taraabt (2014)

A supremely talented player whose time with QPR is glorified by English fans, Adel Taraabt's loan switch to Serie A in 2014 is less easy to recall.

Swapping a relegation battle with Fulham for the bright lights of Milan mid-way through the 2013-14 campaign, the Moroccan playmaker had a decent return of four goals and two assists in 16 games.

Bojan Krkic (2012-13)

Bojan Krkic's journey from next big thing at Barcelona to out-of-favour flop at Stoke includes a period at AC Milan on loan from Roma.

The Spanish striker scored just three times in 30 appearances and is now retired at just 33.