AC Milan’s new left-back will not be Archie Brown, as he is about to sign for José Mourinho’s Fenerbahce after flying to Turkey.
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According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Brown will join Fenerbahce for ‘just a few million more’ than Milan’s offer. It represents ‘a slap in the face for AC Milan’s higher-ups’, who let the Gent defender ‘slip from under their noses’.
What happened?
As of late last night, the Rossoneri were ahead in the race for the 24-year-old, but overnight the Turkish club decisively overtook them. Brown will fly to Istanbul in the next few hours for a medical.
The higher salary offer from Mourinho’s club was decisive. The former Derby County youngster had been chosen as a replacement for Theo Hernandez, who has gone to Al-Hilal to join up with Simone Inzaghi.
Archie Brown himself commented to Fabrizio Romano: “The deal was basically done with AC Milan. I was ready to go. But then, I got a call from Fenerbahçe president overnight. That changed everything. The passion he showed, the vision… it made the decision clear. I knew I had to come to Fener.”
It continues a frustrating trend for Milan: after failing to make the decisive breakthrough for Ardon Jashari following over a fortnight of negotiations with Club Brugge, they have seen another target from Belgium leave their sights.