The AC Milan ownership must now show their hand after news emerged from across the Navigli that Inter are close to securing two very important contract renewals.
Oaktree Capital moved to seize control of Inter towards the end of last month after their Chinese owners Suning failed to repay an almost €400m loan. The Los Angeles-based fund said on Wednesday that it has ‘assumed ownership’ of the Nerazzurri.
This has led to speculation that a fire sale could follow given that funds usually only take over an asset in order to recover their money, and yet so far there is nothing to suggest that there will be any kind of radical asset stripping.
Not only that, but sources such as Fabrizio Romano are reporting that renewals are close for Lautaro Martinez and Nicolo Barella, two of their most important players. This is all while Milan – who have far superior economic strength – are battling to renew Mike Maignan and Theo Hernandez.
Pietro Mazzara has published his weekly column for MilanNews and he spoke about the indications from Milan’s rivals and why it is now crucial that the ownership show their competence.
“The news of the renewal of Lautaro Martinez and the very close one of Niccolò Barella are two bits of very bad news for Milan, its management and its ownership,” he began.
“There’s no point in beating around the bush, because everyone has been thinking about it for days: if Inter renew Lautaro for 9 million and Barella for 7 million, what will Milan do with Theo Hernandez and Maignan? The question is legitimate and strictly founded.
“The two Frenchmen are top players and want to be treated as such also with the economic profile of their respective contracts. Of course, it takes two to have weddings, but here the management’s desire to start disproving with facts the criticisms that are raining down on them must come into play.
“Here Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s impact on his former team-mates is needed, putting his charisma and charming abilities on the bargaining table for the first time. The time for study is over and now he too must have an impact on the delicate topic of these renewals.”
If Inter doesn’t have to sell their best player, then we also don’t have to do that.
They did sell / lost their best (or at least, key) players. Lukaku, Hakimi, Perisic, Brozovic, Skriniar, Onana, Gosens, etc etc. The different thing is that their backed with experience director who can find the right fit and can fully seize an opportunity the earliest (latest examples: Taremi and Zielinski.
And a coach who doesn’t lose faith on his own system.
True, but Inter had/has financial problems, so they had to sell. They don’t have a policy to sell one key player every year, just to invest in three cheaper ones.
“True, but Inter had/has financial problems, so they had to sell. They don’t have a policy to sell one key player every year, just to invest in three cheaper ones.”
I mean, isn’t the second part of this statement how you avoid the first part??? Lol.
Are we going to continue pretending that the direction wants to win? Jerry or Scaroni clearly said that we’re not trying to win any trophy and the actions of the management evidence that. Now it’s all about hope that we can eventually perform well and win something by luck. Cheap and sustainable hope.
Sadly you are absoutely right
” Jerry or Scaroni clearly said that we’re not trying to win any trophy”
You got a link to such statements? 🙂
I posted it in the comment section a couple times, it was also relayed by SM. I guess everybody read it but you. It’s obvious that you would root for that business oriented management until the end of time so I’m not trying to convince you. Enjoy the ride my friend.
Hard to believe the direct quote would ever have been “we’re not trying to win any trophy”. In a statement such as that there would be no room to interpretation but like I said, I doubt that was what was actually said.
Scaroni said that Milan’s objectives were to reach the UCL every single year, that winning trophies would be nice but it’s not the “true objective”, or something along those lines.
Cardinale said that if we were to win the scudetto every single year, it would be boring.
I don’t have the quotes now, but they were posted a few times here and that’s what it related.
“Scaroni said that Milan’s objectives were to reach the UCL every single year, that winning trophies would be nice but it’s not the “true objective”, or something along those lines.
Cardinale said that if we were to win the scudetto every single year, it would be boring.
I don’t have the quotes now, but they were posted a few times here and that’s what it related.”
So, there you have it: None of them said “We are not trying to win any trophy”.
@bb
Are u feigning ignorance or something? Did u not read when Scaroni was asked about the club’s goals earlier this year? It was quite clear what he meant. He’s fine with top 4, as long as we’re in the UCL
Here’s the direct quote: “I have in mind that Milan must always be in the Champions League. That’s it, I have no other goals.”
Scaroni is a jackal who knows nothing about football. Of course he would say that. And he has said a lot of insensitive things already. He is a plug and play businessman. His role here and at his previous jobs was to count the beans. So yeah, from his perspective winning trophies is relatively meaningless. I have zero regard as to Scaroni, and I also think he has little to do with setting the goals for the club. He just reports the numbers to Cardinale and Furlani and then the football decisions are made by them based off of that.
😯😯😯don’t sho.ot the messenger.. I was just quoting what he said 😬
I’m not sure if he ‘just reports numbers’. He is the president after all and we really shouldn’t be giving him a free pass because he said nonsense in the past though, as if that’s somehow ok 🤷♂️. Milan fans from what I know have been pretty consistent calling out the pres for these sorts of things even since berlu.
Oh man, it’s going to be wild down here🍿
9 m for lautaro is just basic salary. with bonus it can reach 11 m. you can say everything about inter, but they can keep their best player. while milan losing its best player every year. either they sold it or they lose it for free.
Oaktree, who rumored to be not interested in keeping Inter, is willing to pay the proportionate amount to their best players. With no hustle. Well it’s a simple fact that we’re owned by the wrong side of American.
Whaaaat? Are you suggesting that not ALL Americans are evil after all? That cannot be. I’ve read it here on this very same site that Americans are to blame for everything and if only we had Saudi-owners, we’d already have 10 UCL-trophies.
Couldn’t careless about nationality.
Just don’t tell them that PSG still has 0 UCLs and City finally won their first one last year, after billions spent.
I believe they have more than 4 PL titles and a great team.
But let that not stop people from selectively seeing that man city has been on the up and up both domestic and in Europe. 🤷♂️🤷♂️
Blind/selective sight and judgment.
Scudettos are fun, until the Saudis start hanging people in San Siro.
They wouldn’t, you say?
Maybe not, but is it any better if they do it in their own country? If this is their values, I’d like to see it done at the Etihad stadium and the Parc des Princes.
Bring public hangings to England now, or have them invest their money in more ha gigs at home, and leave European football and entertainment alone.
American owners, in comparison, AR angels. Dumb Fulkerson who know nothing about football, yes, but not the evil bastards who wear a Man Coty shirt on Sunday ans swing a sword across the neck of an adulterer on Monday.
We need to close the gap with Inter, not open it even wider with sales of our top players. Do we even have a spine we can build the team around or are all decisions random. I don’t mind selling, but show us the succession plan…
the myth of the “financially stable” Milan and the “in-crisis” Inter.
It’s not myth thou, the financial report all say this. And Oaktree also take the ownership by force from Suning, indicating that their financial is dire that they’re unable to pay their debt.
But the use of money by the management is different story.
I meant myth in a metaphorical sense.
But I find it very frustrating that the club who is supposedly bankrupt, is renewing to his best players for higher wages than ours and already secured deals for some players while we struggle to spend even a little money.
We’re “financially stable” yet I don’t think we can outbid Inter if both of us go for the same player.
A hilariously funny myth that had a lot of fans foaming at the mouth and dream building castles in the skies that would never materialize about inter’s woes.
And the sad part is there are many Milan Fans who hope we can take advantage on this Inter ‘bankruptcy’ position.
“but if you give one player such salary, others will want it too”.
Next up in line of lame excuses.
If Lautaro renews with Inter, it is his willingness that is decisive. He is happy at Inter. His family is well settled in Milan with kid in nursery and wife running a restaurant. He does not want to uproot. So much so he asked his agent to just sign the renewal as the latter is making things difficult for Inter by demanding a lot. While there are many Kessies (who ‘declares’ his love for Milan while his agent is looking for more money), I am glad that there are still players like Lautaro (especially when he knows this will likely be his last chance of a good contract).
Those guys just won Inter the scudetto. Ours have to earn it. Though I believe Theo at the moment may deserve what he’s asking for even though Barella who’s playing better and more consistent is going to get less than 8m. Lautaro was top scorer of the league. You can’t be paid the same money with players who are beating you 6 times in a row lol. Actually though I’m on the fence in regards to the salary thing. Milan players seems to be earning less compared to their player standards in the current reality but Mike for is example is not being reasonable with his demands and that shouldn’t be encouraged imo. I think an important issue also is that the Inter players are looking to stay at their club while some of the Milan players are looking for a move.
They both said so
“Winning is boring” – Jerry Clowndinale
Charisma!??, Players need a good and competitive wage not charisma from Zlatan or anyone else
😂 1000% correct
I was surprise too after reading fabrizio romano official account. That lautaro contract increase every year and can reach 12m euro nett at the end while barella 7,5m euro + bonus 500k euro total 8m euro nett. This will hit hard to ACM , the neighbour with unstable financial but can renew their 2 important key player. I hope ACM can renew theo priority, for maignan just sell him if he keep asking 8m euro nett, not worth pay GK that amount of money
😂 🤣 😂 🤣 😂 🤣
Ooo dreams of many who thought inter would somehow fall into this deep financial woes that would distabilise them in the sporting region.
Wake up from that copium.
I mean… Having the owners go bankrupt and the team getting repo’d is probably not a positive for the club under any light?
This is great news for Milan fans, it directly challenges the ownership to put up or shut up
I wpuld pay Thei what he’s asking. Mike has had an off season. Last year I’d pay what he’s asking.
Here’s the thing tho – We are light-years behind Inter. Does Leao deserve the same salary as Lautaro? He only shows uo every three games, Lautaro won capocannoniere. Pulisic has had a season to remember but beyond that, it hasn’t been stellar.
If a decent offer comes in for Maignan, I’d have loved to see him go, if it wasn’t for Di Gregorio signing for Juve.
Milan should have done with him what they did with Maignan to Dollarumma, and then turned around and sold Maignan this summer instead of seeing him leave for free next year.
If he wouldn’t accept a transfer, you say? Then he is third choice behind Di Gregorio and Sportiello.
Theo had a good season. Pay him what he wants, and if Deschamps is correct, that he wants to leave, then extend his Contract by a year at whatever salary he is asking for and start working on his transfer and replacement.