GdS: Empoli’s loyalty key to helping Milan seal bargain €16m midfielder deal

By Oliver Fisher -

The signing of midfielder Ismael Bennacer from Empoli in the summer is proving to be one of the most cost-effective purchases Milan have made in recent years.

Bennacer joined Milan in the summer from Empoli for a fee widely reported to be €16m plus €2m in bonuses, with the young Algerian having impressed since he was allowed to leave Arsenal.

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport on Thursday – as cited by MilanNews – the Rossoneri did indeed invest €16million to sign him from the Tuscan club.

It is described by the paper as a ‘textbook deal’, thanks also to the loyalty of Empoli who kept their word by not asking Milan by for a penny more after the player’s exploits in the African Cup of Nations.

Bennacer won player of the tournament as he guided his country all the way to winning the competition, and the repot states that Empoli did in fact receive other greater offers than the bid that they accepted from Milan.

It was revealed last week that the Gunners in fact rejected the chance to match the Rossoneri’s bid and sign the young midfielder for what is looking more and more like a bargain price.

Tags AC Milan Ismaël Bennacer
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