Obtaining the renewal of Mike Maignan was the ‘signing of the year’ for AC Milan, Sky’s Peppe Di Stefano has told us.
Heading into the summer window, it seemed obvious that Maignan’s days at Milan were numbered, given the interest from Chelsea and the fact his deal was expiring in 2026. Then, the arrival of Massimiliano Allegri and Igli Tare managed to mend the situation in recent months.
Reports began to grow in frequency and conviction that Maignan would put pen to paper on a new multi-year deal, and the announcement of his new deal until 2031 came last month. It is seen as a statement deal for Milan, who were able to keep one of their key performers.
Maignan renewal: Allegri’s role and more
Peppe Di Stefano gave an interview exclusively to SempreMilan in which he spoke about Massimiliano Allegri’s impact, a possible revolution in attack, the Jean-Philippe Mateta saga and other issues. He also commented on how Maignan’s renewal came about.
“Maignan is Milan’s signing of the year. I, and many others, didn’t believe in his renewal. Perhaps not even Maignan believed it. A year ago, the parties had reached an agreement with the player, who had asked for a fee, which Milan had accepted.
“Then Maignan had a few poor moments, and Milan took a step back, which is not a common practice in football. The player was so upset that we were all convinced he wouldn’t extend his contract and would leave in the summer.
“Allegri had been told not to consider Maignan with the new Milan. Max saw that negotiations with Chelsea were stalling, so he called Maignan and said, ‘Why don’t you stay at Milan? You can do another year. I need you. You’re the captain of this team, and at the end of the season you’ll decide whether to extend or go elsewhere’.
“It was a brilliant strategy on Massimiliano Allegri’s part, which immediately made the player feel important. There were no negotiations in the first months of the season, just the pitch, with Allegri putting a smile back on his face, along with his staff.
“The results and the fans helped, and Milan felt almost guilty or indebted for not trying to extend Maignan’s contract. So, after speaking with his agent, they realised there was availability, especially from the player, and they reached the same figure, which is essentially the same as a year ago.
“If Milan had accepted a year ago, they probably would have saved a little. As Galliani and Berlusconi said, renewals should be made at the most crucial times for the players because, in addition to instilling confidence, they also allow the club to save that half a million that makes all the difference.
“For me, this was a smart and convincing move that reminded me of the moves of the old, great Milan, the one that never questioned its champions.”
