MN: Milan facing familiar battle in negotiations over multiple targets

AC Milan are exploring multiple different options to try and improve the squad this summer but they are currently battling the same frustrating theme.

According to Pietro Mazzara’s latest column for MilanNews, the No.1 target for the attacking department is Samuel Chukwuenze of Villarreal. However, they want €35m to sell despite the fact he has one year left on his deal, while the player has an agreement in principle with Milan over personal terms.

Villarreal have already collected over €60m from the sales of Pau Torres and Nicolas Jackson, which means there is no great urgency to sell and they can dictate their asking price, which is why ‘excellent strategy’ will be needed from Milan during the negotiation phase.

Porto’s Mehdi Taremi was also enquired about in the event that Chukwueze does not arrive, as he could be the centre-forward for next season, taking the final non-EU slot. If the Iranian arrived, the right wing target would shift.

Johan Bakayoko of PSV Eindhoven is the back-up plan to Chukwueze at the moment but he has the same asking price and a contract running until June 2026 and not 2024 like the Nigerian.

Then, the negotiations over Tijjani Reijnders are still alive but AZ Alkmaar want €25m fixed while Milan‘s latest offer was €21m with bonuses. The player wants the move, but the two clubs need to find a common ground.

Yunus Musah of Valencia is another name that is being evaluated for the midfield but the €30m requested by the Spaniards is considered excessive.

The Alvaro Morata pursuit is complicated by economic and fiscal issues too. If the Atletico Madrid striker returns to Italy, he would not be able to benefit from the Growth Decree and the almost €8m he gets currently is a major obstacle to overcome.

In short, there are gaps in the squad to fill and plenty of ideas to do so, but the management will have to be patient because asking prices are high in July.


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Tags AC Milan Alvaro Morata Johan Bakayoko Samuel Chukwueze Tijjani Reijnders Yunus Musah

12 Comments

  1. Better use colombo rather than sign over price morata . Hope they can get reijnders & yunus first to make strong midfield trio

  2. This is not the time for patience it is the time for decisive action!!
    We were “patient” the last few windows and look what happened!
    We will be left with 2nd rate players nobody else wanted and they will miss the chance to integrate during preseason.
    Better to pay more now and get the right players rather than leave it till last chance saloon.

    Maignan deal should be the blue print.

      1. Unless you are living on Mars you would know our recent transfer windows have been a disaster (hence M&M getting fired).

        Players who left since winning the league
        Romagnoli,
        Kessie,
        Tonali,
        Diaz
        Zlatan
        Players who replaced them??????
        Thiaw
        Rubbish
        Rubbish
        Rubbish
        Rubbish

  3. Chukwueze was a priority target and we had leverage over Villareal because they needed money. Now we waited too much and they collected 60M as reported, so we have no leverage anymore. He might never come and Kamada who was a sure signing could go elsewhere.

    We had at least two needs for midfielders, we managed to create one more need by selling Sandro. Then we overpaid for Loftus-Cheek to be a starter, and he was the idea of the previous management for the bench. The others teams we are dealing with for midfielders know we are desperate and we have money so they have leverage.

    When NDcka decided to go to Roma, we could hear “they negotiated with him for a long time, that’s why he went there”. Then we negotiate for a long time with Thuram and Inter comes and seal the deal in three or four minutes.

    We now have Pulisic as a mascot for the America tour, and he will replace Diaz but there’s no guarantee he’s an upgrade. But season tickets are sold out, we have a collaboration with New Era and Franco Baresi just accepted to be il consigliere for who knows what. This is fine 🙂

    1. I read from an article that Inter where pursuing Thuram long before we did. Plus they offered him a higher salary. But you are right, the kind of desperation solution in late august rarely plans out.

    2. Lol I love the “this is fine” meme at the end 😂😂😂
      Villarreal don’t need to sell Chuk now smh. I dont think he’s coming tbh and I think a club with bigger pockets like a lower to mid table epl club might snap him up. Now we’re also learning AZ don’t need to sell 🦌 either so lol. It’s like they didn’t learn from last year after losing Kessie and trying to play more attacking football and end up conceding tons. So far we only really have RLC. It’s going swimmingly i tell you, swimmingly!
      Also poor Baresi, I’m sure he didn’t want to be that involved

  4. Are they thinking that if they sign Iranian Olympic diver to Central forward position, Right winger position will be ‘fixed’ out of nowhere or am I dumb? 🙄😂

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