The midfield has been a priority since the start of the summer for AC Milan, mainly the defensive midfield role, and there has been some movement on this front. According to a report, the Rossoneri are now eyeing two players.
Milan conceded too many goals during the 2023-24 season and one of the obvious culprits was the lack of balance. Not having a proper defensive midfield, with Ismael Bennacer coming back from injury, truly hurt the Rossoneri and that mistake cannot be repeated.
As reported by Gazzetta dello Sport this morning (see photo below), Youssouf Fofana and Lazar Samardzic are the most concrete targets as things stand. However, for both deals to happen, Milan must monetise the departures of Ismael Bennacer and Yacine Adli or Tommaso Pobega.
Bennacer has a release clause of €50m and has attracted interest in Saudi Arabia, which could result in a huge payday for Milan. In any case, Fofana has been identified as the key target for the defensive midfield role and since his contract will expire in 2025, Monaco should cave eventually.
Milan are aiming to close a deal at €15m and the feeling is that as time goes on, especially since the player has already accepted the move, Monaco will accept the offer. For Samardzic, meanwhile, there will be a meeting with Udinese in the coming days to understand the situation.
The Fruili side have been asking for €20m so far, the same amount Inter agreed to pay last summer, and it remains to be seen how Milan will approach the negotiations.
