AC Milan are in frequent talks with Lille over winger Jonathan Ikone and have even made their first offer, a journalist has claimed.
This morning’s edition of Tuttosport (via MilanNews) reported that if Alexis Saelemaekers is one of the strengths of Pioli’s Milan and will be so also in the coming seasons, a winger is needed who can replace the Belgian and guarantee a greater contribution in terms of goals. At least three names are on the wish list: Josip Ilicic of Atalanta, Florian Thauvin of Marseille and Jonathan Ikoné of Lille.
According to the latest from Louis Girardi on Twitter, there are frequent contacts between the Rossoneri management and Lille over Ikone and Paolo Maldini has even submitted an offer to the Ligue 1 side.
The offer is as follows: a loan with option to buy fee set at €26m which would become an obligation if Milan were to win the league next season. With that bid, Milan have climbed into pole position to land Ikonè.
Doesnt really sound very credible as the offer goes below his valuation of 30 mil and the player still has a contract untill 2023. Add to that wasnt there some previous indications that lille needed cash because of the covid19 pandemic so loaning him out with an obligation for next year due to parametres like wining serie a doesnt really guarantee that cash influx which apparently is needed. Add to that there will be several clubs interested so no urgent need for lille to give any discounts as they most likely will be able to get at minimum 30 mil and propably also can add 5-10 on top of that.
Anyways if milan really are able to get a deal over the goal line as speculated about in this article i’ll say kudos to maldini and job well done but frankly i’ll believe it when i see ikone in a milan shirt.
Jonathan Ikone is the best option for a winger. Alexis Saelemaekers would be on the bench in that case. Or if I were wondering, I would sell Alexis Saelemaekers and bring in free Florian Thauvin, so AC.Milan would have two super players