In addition to Gigio Donnarumma, Milan also need to start thinking about the future of two players that really have improved since the league was resumed, namely Hakan Calhanoglu and Franck Kessie.
As highlighted by Matteo Calcagni in his latest piece for MilanNews.it, the Turk’s contract will expire in 2021 and the Ivorian’s in 2022. Therefore, taking their recent performances in mind, it might be time to sit down at the negotiating table.
Ralf Rangnick has already shown that he appreciates Calhanoglu, having tried to bring him to Leipzig in January 2019. The player has been cryptic in his recent interviews, without offering any guarantees on his stay at the club.
However, it’s clear that he would hardly say no to a contract renewal, especially given the interesting project Rangnick has in mind. Of course, it only helps that the manager already likes Calhanoglu and his qualities.
Calhanoglu currently earns €2.5m per season, a figure that probably could be confirmed or maybe even increased in the new deal. Milan would be foolish not to renew the midfielder, given that he can leave for free next summer.
In the past few months, when so-called ‘lists’ were drawn up, Franck Kessie was always present as a sellable player due to the weak performances in the first half of the season. Now, though, the situation has changed completely.
What often escaped many when analyzing the profile of the 23-year-old, is that the former Atalanta man, in three seasons, has missed only eight games: one for injury and three for suspensions.
An uncommon physical continuity which, in relation to his age, perhaps should have resulted in other improvements faster. In that sense, Stefano Pioli did well to ‘normalize’ him, constantly working on his tactical level.
It has been a complete transformation for Kessie, acting as the defensive man in the midfield tandem while also improving in the attacking phase. It would be crazy to sell him now, but the contract situation needs to be fixed to guarantee the future.
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We must keep Kessie at all cost! Calhanoglu is too good of a player to be let go for free! Just like Bonaventura is also too good to be let walk for free, so renew Jack”s new contract and then sell him if you must!