Journalist Franco Ordine has offered an explanation as to why Jan-Carlo Simic could be set to depart AC Milan in the coming days or weeks.
A lot of fans had high hopes for Simic, especially when he scored on his debut at San Siro in Serie A against Monza and played a few games with the senior side where he showed that he was not out of place.
However, things have gone south in the past few weeks. His contract is expiring in 2025 and a renewal seemed to be a mere formality last January but then it became increasingly complicated, with reports claiming that he wants a big pay rise and guaranteed first team football to extend.
The rumours also then emerged that Anderlecht are close to striking a deal with the Rossoneri over a transfer fee that would be a few million euros, something that provoked a strong reaction on social media.
Ordine spoke in his weekly column for MilanNews and in addition to speaking about issues such as the midfield and the arrival of Alvaro Morata, he shed some light on the Simic saga.
“I start with Simic and not with Morata, a deal that has just been concluded. I do so because we know almost everything about Morata and we also know that he will not completely solve the problem of the definitive replacement for Giroud and Ibra before,” he said.
“I start with Simic not to deal in detail with the issue of this young man who made a great debut with a nice goal but then disappeared from the radar with Pioli, without an explanation.
“I start with him because according to colleagues who deal with the transfer market he is close to being sold (probably to Belgium) for a modest sum (I hear talk of 3 million euros).
“I asked for explanations and was told that the choice is probably the result of a technical judgment on the young man who has not maintained the high level and who has certainly been ‘overtaken’ by the return of Gabbia to the first team as well as by the imminent arrival of another reinforcement in that department.
“He, Simic, instead snubbed Serie C and wanted the first team. If someone has made the wrong technical judgment, it will be necessary to remember it at the right time.”