AC Milan are in the market for a new central midfielder in view of the summer transfer window and they have been given a big boost in their pursuit of Youssouf Fofana, a report claims.
As this morning’s edition of La Gazzetta dello Sport (seen below) reports, Fofana has taken the first step and now it is Milan’s turn. The Monaco man is who the Rossoneri have put at the top of their list of favoured targets to strengthen the midfield.
Fofana spoke from Clairefontaine, where he is in training camp with the French national team, and he said: “I still have a year left on my contract with Monaco. I talked about my future with the managers, it’s not a secret. We have an agreement to take this next step.
“If it doesn’t happen, I will stay at Monaco for the rest of the season. I hope everyone wins this summer, but at the moment I’m not thinking about it.”
Milan want to bring him to Italy, but they must beat the competition for the Frenchman, who also has admirers in the rest of Europe.
History and project
Fofana said he isn’t thinking about the future now and that the European Championship has his full focus, but it is possible a call comes before he travels to Germany because Milan have been on his trail for some time.
The management would like to avoid the tournament being a showcase for the 25-year-old and then an auction breaking out over his transfer fee and thus they want to move ahead of time, using their charm as a club which Fofana admitted to being flattered by.
“I think Milan is a really huge club. Everyone knows Milan and its record of achievements. But apart from the chatter in Italy, I remain focused on my mission.”
Milan are looking for a physical midfielder, capable of covering the pitch and guaranteeing protection for the defence, and Fofana would be perfect to satisfy the needs. That ‘huge club’, in short, needs someone like him and for this reason would offer him a central role.
There have been contacts in recent months and Fofana is also aware he would get a pay rise with the move from his current €2m net per season, so now the next step is for Milan and Monaco to sit down and negotiate.
The cost
In the Principality they consider Fofana a prized piece. When he arrived from Strasbourg he was only 21 years old, but he very quickly became a pillar of their midfield and a driving force even in the last season which ended in second place and with direct qualification for the next Champions League.
Last summer, when the club were hoping to renew his contract expiring in 2025, Monaco had the luxury of declining a €35m offer from Nottingham Forest. Things will change in this market, because the expiry date on Fofana’s contract remains.
Fofana will be able to say goodbye for €20-25m, a figure within the reach of Milan’s accounts. Last summer, for example, Giorgio Furlani and Geoffrey Moncada closed various deals around that figure from Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Christian Pulisic to Tijjani Reijnders and Samu Chukwueze.
Who’s in the running? The Euros in Germany could increase the list of suitors, but Fofana is not only on the radar of Juventus, who are monitoring the situation in case they lose Rabiot or McKennie.
Premier League clubs and PSG are also keen, and they would have the economic means to put Milan in difficulty, as has already happened in the past.
Even in the national team he plays with Tchouameni or Camavinga or both which are more def minded players.. Fofana is not it for our midfield.
Should just cash out on Ederson. Enough of the discount deals…
Also the fúck I am positing quickly
Ederson would be a dream.
You can get Khephren Thuram too with that price
Fofana is good
but can he defend though ?
If he wants to return to europe bring back Kessie.
IMHO, milan has more need for a regista who can dictate the tempo of the game rather than another mezzala