Once the transfer window closes Paolo Maldini and Ricky Massara will shift their attention to renewals again, and Ismael Bennacer will be a focus.
Calciomercato.com report how the Algerian midfielder’s contract expires in 2024 and Milan consider him to be a very precious element in their team given his role and the way he has grown since arriving from Empoli in the summer of 2019.
For Pioli, Bennacer is an irreplaceable resource and Maldini and Massara have long understood the importance of securing his long-term future. The talks have begun over a renewal, but at the moment there is a distance between the offer on the table and the demands of Bennacer.
Milan are offering a pay rise from his current €1.7m net per season to €3m but Bennacer wants €4m per year to extend. It is not an insurmountable distance, and the idea is to continue together, but it will take a bit of compromise.