Theo Hernandez appears destined to leave AC Milan this summer, with just one year left on his contract, but he won’t accept a move to Saudi Arabia.
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With the Club World Cup set to kick off in one week, Hernandez has been heavily linked with a move to Al-Hilal, with the new head coach Simone Inzaghi reportedly keen on the player. However, while it would give Milan a significant amount of money (around €30m), it likely won’t materialise.
According to MilanNews, which has received comments directly from the left-back’s agent Manuel Garcia Quilon, Hernandez has no intention of moving to Saudi Arabia. He wants to continue his adventure in a top European club and is thus willing to wait.
Atletico Madrid initiated contacts with Milan a few days ago, as per the report, but the Spanish side haven’t gone any further than that. The feeling is that once the proper transfer window kicks off, and not just the one for Club World Cup participants, the situation will heat up.
It goes without saying that Milan will struggle to get as much as Al-Hilal offered for the player, 1) because the Saudi side are in a rush and 2) because they have infinite resources. As such, Igli Tare will face an uphill battle getting a decent amount.
A similar situation can be seen with the Maignan-Chelsea negotiations, as Milan reportedly have rejected the initial €15m offer and are now asking for €24m. The goalkeeper will turn 30 next year and has just one year left on his contract, so it remains to be seen if the Blues are willing to come up.