The 2026 summer mercato came to an end at 20:00 CEST, and a total of nine players left AC Milan. However, there were a variety of different formulas used.
While the key details of every transfer are listed below, we would recommend signing up for our Substack to get our annual mercato financial breakdown when it drops. In that article, we will outline the exact financials for the Rossoneri.
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Below, we take a look at the nine departures and the details of each, from the fee received to where they’ve gone.
2026 Summer Departures
Ismael Bennacer (Midfielder)
Formula: Contract terminated
Fee: N/A
To: N/A
It was to and fro whether Bennacer would be sold this summer, especially after how previous mercatos have gone. However, Milan opted to make the decision themselves, cutting short any chance of an elongated transfer situation and Bennacer was released.
Zachary Athekame (Defender)
Formula: Straight loan
Fee: N/A
To: Lyon
With Ruben Amorim not seeing a first team role for the defender yet, the decision was made to send him on a straight loan – a deal without a future buy option/obligation – and so far the Swiss is already impressing.
David Odogu (Defender)
Formula: Straight loan
Fee: N/A
To: Toulouse
The first use of the partnership with Toulouse, who are also owned by RedBird in part, the German defender will now get a chance to prove himself in Ligue 1.
Andrej Kostic (Forward)
Formula: Straight loan
Fee: N/A
To: Sparta Rotterdam
It was reported that Kostic would fight Francesco Camarda for a role as the second striker this season. The Italian’s role was confirmed after a brace against Celtic and Kostic was loaned out fairly quickly afterwards; now he’ll get valuable minutes as a starter.
Christopher Nkunku (Forward)
Formula: Loan – Option to Buy included
Fee: €3m loan fee + €28m buy option
To: RB Leipzig
Seen as a player who could thrive under Amorim, it was a bit of a shock when he was told that his future was not with the Rossoneri. After talks with several interested parties, the Frenchman returned to RB Leipzig on loan, with an option to buy included (worth €28 million).
Samuele Ricci (Midfielder)
Formula: Loan – Option to Buy included
Fee: €1.5m loan fee + €22m buy option
To: Como
Ricci’s summer was up and down. He seemed to be ostracised fairly early on, but then it seemed that he could stay and fight for a place after impressing in pre-season. However, Amorim went back on that idea and after interest from several Italian clubs, Como won the race.
He’s – perhaps frustratingly – left on loan in a deal worth €1.5m and the Champions League club will have the option to buy for €22m.
Rafael Leao (Forward)
Formula: Permanent transfer
Fee: €38m + 20% of future profit
To: Galatasaray
After seven seasons with Milan, it seemed almost guaranteed that Leao would leave the club this summer after his remarks about wanting a new challenge. The saga lasted all summer, but after a late bidding war between Aston Villa and Galatasaray, the Portuguese headed to Turkey in a deal that is unlikely to bring more than €45m to the Diavolo.
Certainly a frustrating one.
Santiago Gimenez (Forward)
Formula: Loan – Option to Buy included
Fee: N/A + €18m buy option (could become obligation)
To: Porto
Last summer, Gimenez rejected several opportunities to leave the club, but he was a lot more open this summer. The Mexican striker had plenty of interest, but a move to Porto seemed most likely throughout.
After a breakdown in talks, the clubs eventually agreed on a free loan with the option to buy the Mexican for €18m + bonuses. However, it could become an obligation if certain conditions are met.
Youssouf Fofana (Midfielder)
Formula: Straight loan
Fee: N/A
To: Sevilla
Youssouf Fofana’s departure is one of the weirder ones on this list. It seemed he was heading back to France for large parts of Tuesday’s deadline. However, the move broke down and at the last minute, a deal was agreed with Sevilla.
Yesterday we went through all of the arrivals for this summer, if you’ve not already seen our round-up.
Well they only reinforced one direct rival with Ricci going to Como (who finished above Milan in the table so the obvious thing is to strengthen them).
I presume they’ve already given up on Kostic if he’s going to Sparta Rotterdam so he’ll get no exposure to Italian football.
And the rest. All of these elite athletes who were deemed not to be good enough for Serie A.
Serie A one of the poorest leagues in Europe that also happens to have one of the highest turnovers of players. I’m sure that’s a coincidence.
Good luck.
Hope it works out for these players. They’ll be joined by more next year!
They finished above us by (freak) accident. Milan had a better squad. That’s not reinforcing, that’s actually called weakening the opponent (don’t ever call them our DIRECT rivals, for the love of God) but, who guarantees you that Ricci will actually play there? On a regular basis that is.
Dude.
You were complaining that Kostić was going to steal minutes from Camarda, and now that you found out that he is gone (since you were busy following Como or Monza) you STILL complain that he’s been given up on ?
Sometimes I feel like you’re a bot who is just here to complain.
Benzema is still waiting out there. And he’s still a star more.
While dario osorio , milan primary winger target was go to crystal palace loan 2m + option to buy. At the end , milan go to Hutchinson loan fee 4m + option to buy 40m. I dont think milan will exercise this option.
Osorio is an obligation to buy for Crystal Palace, essentially a straight sale just for accounting reasons they are putting it on next year’s mercato.
“Ricci’s summer was up and down. He seemed to be ostracised fairly early on, but then it seemed that he could stay and fight for a place after impressing in pre-season.”
What impressing?
“The Mexican striker had plenty of interest, but a move to Porto seemed most likely throughout.”
Plenty? Who was interested in him?
Potentially impressing maybe.
23-1+6+3+5-9=27
Ricci, Leao and Gimenez- both well deserved and expected;
Odogu and Kostic and Bennacer- understandable decisions
(there was never a real chance for Kostic to be a backup 9);
Athekame, Nkunku and Fofana- bad, meaningless moves;
ODJEL PRODAJE u Milanu je ispod svake kritike totalno nesposoban !!! 11 igrača je otišlo što za stalno što posudbe koje su NEPOVOLJNE – BESPLATNE za Milan !!! Jedino je Leao donio u kasu 38 mil a i to je katastrofalno MALO !! USTVARI CARDINALE JE VELIKI DOBROTVOR ZA NOGOMET JER JE CJELI JEDAN TIM IGRAČA PODIJELIO PO CJELOJ EVROPI ZA NIŠTA !! Eto čovjek ima para pa može !!!
Nije 11 nego 9, 8 ako ne računamo Benasera.
So, apart from Bennacer and Leao, we’ll see you all next summer.
Some of them were never meant/planned to stay in the first place.
Nono, Milan je rezao troškove.
Dovedeni su igrači koji u bilanci godisnje prikazuju trosak od 81 milijun eura. To je veliki iznos.
S obzirom na lose igre i sezonu igraci se nisu mogli prodati. Leau su turci spustili cijenu na 38 milijuna a svi drugi odlasci su na toj troskovnoj strani srezani za najmanje 75 milijuna.
Npr, čista prodaja Leaa znaci da u bilanci ove sezone nema troska of 12 milijuna na njega na plaću i amortizaciju. Ali dolazak Ramosa ciji trošak je 24 milijuna na placi i amortizaciji .
To je značilo druge odlaske: posudba Nkunkua je spasila pola njegovog troska – oko 8 milijuna. Origi 5 milijuna. Bennacer raskid oko 6 milijuna. Itd itd
Jesi li razmišljao o tome da radiš kao knjigovođa u Milanu?
Ozbiljno ovo pitam jer vidim da te baš zanima ta materija.
Stones (Tomori), Tiago Santos (F. Terracciano), Fofana (Bondo), Nkunku (Loftus-Cheek), AMRC (Hutchinson), Icardi (Estupinan);
Should have just kept fofana