With the summer window in the rear-view mirror and the international break upon us, renewals are dominating the headlines.
La Gazzetta dello Sport confirm that contracts are the hot topic at the moment. From Christian Pulisic to Adrien Rabiot, Gerry Cardinale is ready to open talks to retain the team’s key players for the long term. The hottest situation, however, concerns Strahinja Pavlovic.
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The Serbian defender has a contract with the Rossoneri that expires in June 2028, at a net salary of €1.7m, with the option for a further year. The proposal AC Milan is considering is a renewal until 2031 with a salary roughly doubled.
Negotiations between the parties are still in their infancy and the figures haven’t yet been finalised, but the shared desire to continue working together should facilitate an agreement in a relatively short time.
Still immovable
Pavlovic arrived at AC Milan from Salzburg in the summer of 2024. His first year under Paulo Fonseca and Sergio Conceiçao was full of ups and downs, so much so that in January there was even talk of a quick departure due to the sirens of Turkey.
Ultimately, the Serbian centre-back stayed, and the following season – with Massimiliano Allegri on the bench and the transition to a three-man defence – he became a regular starter for the Rossoneri. Things are continuing more or less along the same lines with Ruben Amorim in charge.
Despite his playing style meaning he isn’t the coach’s prototypical outside centre-back, Pavlovic has remained a pillar of the current Milan side. He, along with Koni De Winter, is the only outfield player not to have missed a single minute this season.
If things are going well on the pitch, off it, it’s fair to say, things are even better. In Milan, Pavlovic became the father of little Tadija, born in April. He and his wife, Masa, are having a wonderful time in the city and recently bought a house.
So, when some Premier League clubs showed signs of interest this summer, Pavlovic immediately told his agent (former footballer Zvonimir Vukic) that he had no intention of leaving Milan. The directors had no doubts either: Cardinale and his team consider Pavlovic to be a key cornerstones of the team.
In short, barring offers that are difficult to turn down, his sale is not even an option. Clearly, his high performances over the past year require a salary adjustment. As mentioned, Milan are looking at €3-€3.5m net per season.
This is a figure that Pavlovic and his agent will evaluate before sitting down to discuss. The feeling, however, is that the Serbian and Milan are destined to remain united for the long haul.
