There has been talk in recent days about a possible future without Massimiliano Allegri for AC Milan, one they do not wish to entertain.
As La Gazzetta dello Sport (seen below) report, Allegri is Milan’s assurance that they’re back where they traditionally belong: at the top end of the table. The club went for him last summer to help rebuild after a dreadful season and so far he is repaying their faith.
Going all-in on Max has paid off in every respect, especially in terms of results. This is why the coach is and will remain at the heart of the club’s project. He has a contract until 2028, with an option to extend until 2029.
His salary will be significantly increased, from €5m to €6m net, thanks to qualification for the Champions League (still to be secured despite a nine-point lead over fifth-placed Como). A return to Europe means a transfer window that must improve the squad too.
It’s best if the players that arrive fit the profile of what Allegri wants, or at least have the characteristics indicated by the manager. The pitch and his career don’t lie: it’s hard to find better than Max.
A three-year plan
When the club decided to change things around last spring after losing the Coppa Italia final, the CEO Giorgio Furlani bet on sporting director Igli Tare and Allegri, the former Lazio man’s first choice. The gamble paid off.
The project is a two-year one (in contractual terms) with an option for a third. The third year (2027-28) will begin if the club qualifies for the Champions League this season, or with an option reserved by the management.
Everything has been in place since the end of May, when his return to Milanello became official. A top-four finish will erase any doubts about the minimum duration of the partnership. Qualifying for Europe is the key seasonal goal that no one wants to miss, because of the money and prestige.
Max has already won one Scudetto at Milan, in 2010-11, and if he chose to return more than 11 years after being sacked it’s because he understood the conditions were there to rebuild and to win more titles.
The club, for its part, wanted the most successful coach around to make its fans and the football world understand that the tide was about to turn, and not just for one season. Allegri is a project coach, one who leads you to victory.
That’s why he doesn’t get upset when he’s criticised: the longer-term mission, the second star, is clear. Achieving it might be easier if in the future they have a striker with physique and goals in their DNA, and more choice in defence and midfield.
They need experienced players, accustomed to the big stage and winning. Like Luka Modric and Adrien Rabiot, who arrived last summer. The progress since 2024-25 is already evident, but further steps forward will be needed to compete with the big teams in the Champions League.
The club, even before sitting down to plan for 2026-27 (they will do so once the objective is achieved), is aware of what’s needed. Not only to please Allegri, but above all to truly return to being AC Milan, in Italy and in Europe.
omg who cares, lets get to summer first
Allegri is leaving, Allegri is staying. Endless rumours. You guys do not provide any real analysis, we find that in the comments.
The new project has overall been a success. Now the important thing is to finish second. With a striker, the scudetto is a possibility, maybe even probability. The defence and midfield are excellent overall.
What a success. Eliminated in Coppa Italia since December despite not playing any European competition and losing ground against Inter in one of the weakest Serie A maybe ever.
Still a far cry from the previous managements’ accomplishment in Serie A, UCL, mercato and developing stars.
You do know it’s the first year of the new project, right?
Like every year since 2023 I guess.
So? Teams rarely win titles immediately under new ownership. It takes time to build a project. We have owners who knew nothing about football. They’ve hired the right people. What they do know about, stadiums, they’ve got off the ground, while others, such as Roma, are still waiting.
Not a huge fan of Allegri but let’s at least give the man what he’s asking for this time around instead of the exact opposite…
They did. This narrative that they’re ignoring his wishes is nonsense.