An indication of a big-name signing in January, a win over Juventus in the Supercoppa Italiana or even more clarity on Sino-Europe Sports and assurances that the takeover of the club will be completed next March. These are all valid Christmas wishes for AC Milan supporters this year, but one that sticks out in particular is the reported contract renewal for Giacomo Bonaventura until 2020.
Signed from Atalanta in 2014, many would have questioned whether or not the Italian was good enough for the Rossoneri at the time. While he had certainly displayed his qualities in Bergamo, making that step up is difficult for any player.
Those reservations were quickly dismissed though, as Bonaventura contributed seven goals and five assists in 36 appearances in all competitions in his first season at the San Siro as he showed he wasn't overawed by the environment and pressure of playing for such a prestigious club.
Impressively, he improved in his second year with seven goals and 10 assists, and was well on track to surpass those tallies again this year prior to his injury setback last month which leaves him on two goals and five assists in just 14 appearances this season.
Put the goals and assists to the side though, and the 27-year-old has not only proven that he is good enough for Milan, but he has established himself as one of the most consistent and leading performers for the club over the last two years.
Whether it was with Filippo Inzaghi, Sinisa Mihajlovic or now Vincenzo Montella, he has been a focal point for each coach he has worked with. His technical quality, threat in the final third and versatility make him a standout individual in this squad, and his improvement has been exceptional.
Ultimately, his work rate and commitment has never been in question. However, to take himself to the next level he needed to be more decisive and a leader in this Milan team. He has successfully done that, and with talk of a contract renewal being on the table, it can't be signed soon enough as he has earned a new and improved deal.
It's suggested that the two parties are waiting for approval from the incoming Chinese ownership, but it's simply a no-brainer and it should be one of the priorities on their to-do list.
While he may not be a glamorous name in European football as of yet, Bonaventura has gone about his business quietly and effectively. Milan will need him in top form in the second half of the season, as they look to book their return to Europe next year.
There is a sense that the bigger the stage, the bigger the performance we'll get from the creative playmaker. In turn, whether it's helping Milan's run for a top-three finish or playing in the Champions League next season, the best is arguably yet to come from Bonaventura and there is confidence that he will step up and make the difference when Milan need him.
The Rossoneri have had a really impressive start to the season and it's hoped that they can maintain their form and really make a solid case to finish in the top three. Signing Bonaventura to an extension will be a real boost for all concerned and will hopefully set the trend for many other top players in the squad to follow suit.
With the club possibly strengthening in the upcoming transfer windows, it's important to know and acknowledge which players to build around. While the likes of Gianluigi Donnarumma, Alessio Romagnoli and Manuel Locatelli have all been mentioned, Bonaventura has undoubtedly proven he deserves to be in that same group and Milan supporters will welcome seeing him commit his future.