Another injury worry has arisen for AC Milan as Ismael Bennacer is due back in Italy having left the Algerian camp, it has been confirmed.
Bennacer was one of 15 Milan players to have been summoned by their respective countries for the last international break before the end of the season.
Having participated in their shock 2024 African Cup of Nations group stage exit, the midfielder was meant to take part in two friendlies: one against Bolivia on Friday 22 March in Algiers and one against South Africa on Tuesday 26 March in the same city.
However, as has been announced on the official Algerian Football Federation website, Bennacer will return to Milanello early having left the training camp that his team had just begun.
The former Empoli man felt a ‘minor pain’ – presumably muscular – and this was enough to tip the scales towards returning to Milan, to ascertain his condition and avoid taking unnecessary risks.
Bennacer is therefore expected in Milan in the next few hours where he will be evaluated properly by the Milan medical staff. Hopefully it is a case of getting there just in time before a bigger issue, especially after the recent Pierre Kalulu news and the Mike Maignan scare.
If Milan needs to sell a player or 2 to raise funds to strengthen the squad, outside of the players that are already on loan, Maignan and Bennacer should be prime candidates to be sold.
Best ability is availability and both of them have been injured every season and been unavailable extended periods of time more than once a season.
Bennacer isn’t that important for the team anyway. Outside of his 1st season and last season, he has been a bench player. The only reason he was a starter last year is because Milan didn’t sign a midfielder when Kessie left. Not that Milan didn’t sign a midfielder like Kessie but Milan didn’t sign a midfielder period.
And Maignan is a GK, the least important position on the pitch and easiest to replace. If Bayern or R Madrid want him, get the 50-60 mil and sign Di Gregorio for 20 mil. You won’t miss a beat. Matter fact you might even improve especially on this seasons Maignan.
If they pay the full release clause – sure. I’d give up on Pobega first.
I’ll have to agree with this.
You might also make a case for selling Kalulu who seem to have joigned the club of the players who get injured way too often.
If we can get 10-15M out of Kalulu+50-60M out of Maignan+ the money from CDK and the others players we loaned with option to buy + the summer budget we might be able to get a quality striker, a quality midfielder, a quality goalkeeper, a quality centerback and have some extra for deputies.
Kalulu has only been injured this season. He had a significant injury at the beginning of the season and just got injured again. The previous 3 seasons he was someone you can count to be available week in week out.
His lack of improvement and even regression might be a reason to sell but you can’t put him in the same bracket with players like Maignan, Bennacer, Kjaer, Florenzi and even Calabria when it comes to injuries. Those are injury prone players, Kalulu just had bad luck with injuries this year.
10-15 million for Kalulu? That sounds like a spit in your face.
You do not sell 23 y/o versatile & proven defender for 10-15 million, especially when his market value is 25.
If he becomes fit again and back to a 100% I won’t even consider selling him at all, he is indeed a versatile player who can play CB and RB.
But this season alone he has been injured 3 times for a total of over 150 days injured missing overall more than 30 games. Some have already mentioned this, but if he becomes too much of an injury prone player, which is likely, then selling him should be considered and at that time I doubt you could get his whole value out of him.
Should he be back to his 21/22 form again, I would be happy to have been wrong and we should keep him.
Personally tho I don’t think Bennacer is been that irrelevant when availabled. It’s a shame he’s been struggling with injuries tho because his my fav Milan player I love his confidence on the ball and intense pressing out of it. I just don’t know what these teams are doing with players on international duties. Damn.
Bennacer should never leave