It is now no secret that AC Milan are set to replace Stefano Pioli at the end of the season, but it will not be the natural expiry of his contract which poses some problems to resolve.
This morning’s edition of Corriere dello Sport (via PianetaMilan) confirms that the management have decided that Pioli’s era at Milan has run its course and thus he will not be the head coach for the 2024-25 season.
However, they will have to terminate Pioli’s contract, which will expire on 30 June 2025. It will therefore be necessary to first find an agreement with the former Lazio and Bologna boss, plus one with his large coaching staff.
This is a rather substantial figure and it is not just a trivial detail, the paper adds. It will amount to around €10m when factoring in the remaining salaries and the taxes, which the club must cover.
Milan’s media silence on the future coach, therefore, is also motivated by this, as well as by a form of respect towards Pioli who has done very well in his almost five years with the Rossoneri.
The truth is that Milan would have kept Pioli in the dugout if the situation had not worsened in April, with the elimination in the Europa League at the hands of Roma and yet another derby lost. Paulo Fonseca seems to be the leading name to replace him.