Time is running out for AC Milan as they look to try and resolve the future of Hakan Calhanoglu one way or another, a report claims.
Calciomercato.com report how the strategy adopted by the Milan management has been far from perfect, as they are in a position where one of the key players in the current squad has a deal expiring in eight months with no indication that an agreement is close.
The offer that Milan have tabled to Calhanoglu and his entourage is €3.5m net per season including bonuses, and at the moment there is no suggestion that the Rossoneri are willing to raise that after Ivan Gazidis evaluated the budget with Elliott Management.
There are two factors in this decision: the economic difficulties that the pandemic has brought and also the fact that the club are trying to move away from giving huge salaries to players.
The contacts between the parties are ongoing but there is tension. Paolo Maldini and Gordon Stipic – the player’s agent – are still ongoing, while sources close to the player claim that the request was not €7m-a-year but over €5m.
The parties have taken 15 days to reflect before things get really serious and Milan will soon have a decision to make: either they lock Calhanoglu up long term or will be forced to sell in the transfer market in January.
In the background, there is the strong temptation to go all-in for Dominik Szoboszlai of Red Bull Salzburg, something which the Calhanoglu situation will likely have a big hand in.
