Sky journalist Luca Marchetti has defended the way AC Milan have conducted their pursuit of Youssouf Fofana, suggesting that their movements to this point are entirely logical.
The Fofana saga continues to drag on with no resolution in close proximity. Having been identified weeks if not months ago as Milan’s first choice midfield target, the management struck an agreement with the player but have so far not been able to strike one with Monaco.
Not only that, but recent reports have suggested that Manchester United now want to sign the Frenchman and repeat the Joshua Zirkzee coup, by capitalising on Milan’s failure to close the operation and using their vast financial resources to swoop in and get him.
Marchetti spoke during a segment on Sky’s show The Club and he was asked to give an update on Milan, as part of which he went into more detail on the Fofana issue and the frustrations surrounding it.
“The midfielder issue, which is one of the big objectives of the Milan mercato, must be resolved and now we have truly arrived at the last three weeks of the window,” he began (via Radio Rossonera).
“Milan had three needs: a right-back, a midfielder and a striker. The striker is there, the right-back almost [Emerson Royal] but the midfielder is missing. In my opinion, on a strategic level, Milan do not seem to have made a mistake if I have to tell the truth.
“He is a player whose contract is expiring [in 2025], he was with France at the European Championship, they came to an agreement with the player and he said yes to Milan, and they went to negotiate with Monaco.
“Monaco, probably annoyed by the fact that the newspapers had been saying for a long time that Milan were after Fofana and they had never heard from Milan, asked for 35 million euros.
“Now, honestly, paying that much for a player whose contract is expiring is madness, however strong he may be. Maybe Milan’s first offer wasn’t exactly close to that figure, but they would have liked to pay around 20 million for him.”