AC Milan have a swathe of players currently out on loan and, in the absence of Champions League revenues, they could play an important role in the summer rebuild.
Coming back and beating Lecce on Saturday was only a temporary reprieve in what has been an otherwise dreadful season in Serie A for Milan, one which will almost certainly see them finish outside of the top four.
That is why the players out on loan could become crucial in assisting a summer revolution of sorts, because there is over €80m resting on the various options to buy. Thus, these permanent sales could help plug the huge gulf of not having the big prize money from the Champions League.
But how exactly are the loanees performing, and who can we expect to see return to base? Our colleagues at SempreMilan.it have broken down each case.
Lights and shadows
Yacine Adli, currently at Fiorentina, has had a tough time due to an ankle injury that has kept him out for a month. With 24 appearances, four goals and four assists, the Frenchman had started the season well, but his future remains uncertain. La Viola could exercise their €10.5m option to buy, but there is talk of a swap involving Riccardo Sottil.
Ismael Bennacer, on the other hand, is having a mixed time at Marseille. Despite having started every game, his last performance against RC Lens was disappointing, given a 4 in the report card by French newspapers (admittedly they use a harsher scale). Milan hope for him to leave permanently, for €12m plus €2m in bonuses.
Differing domestic experiences
Lorenzo Colombo is going through a dark period at Empoli, who are struggling as a team in general. His last match against Roma was negative, with scores between 4 and 4.5 in the paper ratings. He hasn’t scored since January 25 and his option to buy, set at €7m, seems increasingly less likely to be triggered.
Pierre Kalulu experienced the humiliating 0-4 defeat against Atalanta as a spectator, on loan at Juventus. Having entered the game in the 54th minute, he initially brought order before sinking with the rest of the team. His season to date though – with 31 appearances and one goal – mean he will go permanently for €14m plus €3m bonuses.
Opposite situations
Marko Lazetic is having a tough year at TSC Backa Topola. Despite being a regular starter, he has only scored two goals in 32 appearances and in the last match he was shown a yellow card after just a few minutes. His dry loan will bring him back to Milan at the end of the season.
Alvaro Morata returned to the field with Galatasaray after a month out due to injury, with two goals in five appearances so far. The Turkish club have an option to buy set at €8m or €9m, depending on the duration of the loan which could be extended by another year.
Shine and struggle
Alexis Saelemaekers has instead enjoyed a real resurgence at Roma under Claudio Ranieri. With an average rating of 6.50 and 11 goal contributions (six goals, five assists) to his name across 24 games, he is among the best players in Serie A in 2025. Milan could regret having let him go, even if the loan is dry.
Tommaso Pobega, at Bologna, has been inconsistent throughout the campaign. After being excluded against Verona in the last match, his average seasonal rating (5.84) shows that he is not yet a fixed point for Vincenzo Italiano. Bologna can buy him for €12m but the jury is out at present.
Further uncertain fates
Noah Okafor is a strange case. More than on the pitch, he got noticed for a photo on Instagram that shows his physical transformation under Antonio Conte and his staff. Napoli can redeem him for €23.5m, but so far he has played only 22 minutes across three appearances. At present, they wouldn’t use that clause, though there is time yet.
Devis Vasquez has been out for four games at Empoli, but he was a protagonist in the Coppa Italia by saving a penalty against Juventus as the Tuscan side booked their place in the semi-finals. With 25 appearances and 34 goals conceded, his future is uncertain even if the option to buy is set low.
Milan dreams
Marco Pellegrino is the most positive note among the players on loan. At Huracan he is finding consistent playing time and in the last match he was the best on the pitch. With nine appearances and one goal, he dreams of returning to Milan after having relaunched himself in Argentina.
Kevin Zeroli had a special moment playing at San Siro with Monza against Inter. However, his performance was not very incisive and for now his impact under Alessandro Nesta is limited. The young Italian talent is on a dry loan and will return to Milanello in the summer.
If Milan hires Allegri, Morata is coming back in the summer, and he will start at LW next season. He is one of Allegri favorite players.
Bennacer is a$s in the French league, too? No way! Just wait until he loses weight and get back in his scudetto form. 😂Hopefully, they pick up his option, but I doubt it. Maybe Saudis can come for him and save Milan.
Saelemaekers and Adli need to be brought back.
Anyone who has ever seen Colombo play a full game could see that he is never going to have any role at Milan but people who never seen him play thought that he should have been kept and played over Jovic, Morata and Tammy.
Bring Adli and Saelemaekers back, loan out Zeroli again and hopefully, someone will take the others.
Our Loaned players, only Morata and Bennacer are on higher gross wages. But I think they can be OK as rotations. If they go, Milan will save good amount on the cost side of sheet.
All other players are very cheap. I would personally rather watch next season Adli Pobega and Saelemaekers and on departure list I would like to see Ruben Loftus Florenzi and Chukwueze.
Even Okafor can stay maybe he becomes better in season without Europe.
Re Colombo. I’ve watched some of his games at Empoli but not enough.
The main point in favour of keeping him as a bench option for the team is his status as an academy graduate.
He could occupy a slot as a reserve striker that is currently one of several not used.
So he could add depth and actually be placed on a UEFA list where Jovic could not.
At present Gabbia is the only player occupying an academy trained slot. We are really hindering ourselves for depth in this regard.
But utlimately if he is not good enough, then he is not good enough.
Love your passion.
That depend on sergio or new coach to decide the fate of loan player. If sarri new coach : keep adili ( he is jorginho for sarri). If alegri new coach : he will keep morata ,kalulu , saladmaker ( only if fener & juve not activating buy option for morata & kalulu). If still sergio as coach : he will sell all loan player to buy joao felix
I see Adli redeemed, seale sold and Juve decided two weeks into kalulu loan they would make the measly 17 mill permanent (thanks again to management maybe they can give them Puli next for 20mill as the cherry on top of a cake made of dumb decisions). Everyone else is coming back so forget about that potential 80mill it won’t even be 50mill
We’ll have a squad of 50 players in the summer. 70% of deadwood.
Mike, Walker, Gabbia, Thiaw, Reijnders, Fofana, Bondo (still a mystery), Pulisic, Gimenez. The rest are garbage. Won’t count Theo and Leao cause there’s a huge “get out” campaign from management and Gerryboys for them so I don’t want to trigger anyone.
So a typical summer?
At least this time round I have virtually no connection to the players so don’t care who is sold.
Gabbia will probably be sold on TRANSFER DEADLINE DAY with the announcement made whilst he’s driving out the gate at the car park.
Can you feel the passion.
Two and a half seasons of mismanagement and here we are. We never needed revolution but this narcissistic egomaniac of our owner thought he knows better and wanted his own story. He got it alright. A sad chaotic drama.
I’m just reading Milan, Napoli and Fiorentina reportedly asked Torino for Casadei and of course they laughed them off. They could get this kid for 12 millions from Chelsea a month ago. F*cking incompetent clowns.
So much wasted talent.
If only directors were held to the same standards as players.
They are, otherwise they wouldn’t be chasing a sporting director.