AC Milan will soon complete the signing of Luka Modric, but another signing is being targeted in the midfield rebuild: Granit Xhaka.
Tijjani Reijnders left the Dutch national team camp over the weekend to undergo a medical ahead of joining Manchester City. As added by various journalists, the fixed base of the transfer is set at €57m, while there are an additional €14m in bonuses.
As we have previously explained, the bonuses will help Milan strengthen the 2025-26 financial year, but in the immediate there is an on-field issue to address: the need to rebuild the midfield once again.
Modric + Xhaka?
Modric’s arrival will become official soon as he will undergo medical tests in Croatia and sign a one-year contract with Milan that has an option for a second. The Croatian will then leave for the USA where he will play the Club World Cup with Real Madrid.
His arrival is part of the management and Massimiliano Allegri’s plans to bring substance, determination and tactical intelligence, as well as international experience and leadership.
As today’s La Gazzetta dello Sport (via MilanPress) writes, Xhaka also ticks these boxes and is highly regarded by Igli Tare. The 32-year-old is tied to Bayer Leverkusen by a contract until June 2028 with a salary between €2-2.5m net per season.
The cost of the transfer fee seems to be €15-20m, not a bargain price considering the age of the player. The management will try to lower that figure.
Why would you pay 20M for a 32 year old? I wouldn’t pay 10M for him.
Why would you sell a rising Dutch star only to bring in a 40yo cheerleader and a MF on the wrong side of 30?
Smoke Screen, that’s why. Nothing these clowns do makes any sense …
Anyone calling Luka Modric a cheeleader should not pretend to understand football.
Riiiiiiight …
At 40, that’s what he’s coming here to do.
Yes ok, beat it now. Don’t care about opinion of people that don’t understand football.
You’re right, pal. You’re the only one here who understands anything. Your talent is being wasted. 🤣
Xhaka, Modric, Rabiot?
like I could validate 1, maximum 2 but to have these 3 come after Tiji sale is an insult to fanbase…
One CDM like:
Rovella, Andrey Santos, Ederson, Schouten, Wieffer
Tiji replacement:
Ricci, Saibari, Veerman, dePaul, Fratessi, Kenneth Taylor
Bondo, Modric (free), Xhaka (swap for Thiaw + 20M), Fofana, Adli, CDM*, CM*
solid 3 men midfield, anything else will be same as this season… this squad was never built properly and always had corners cut by this clown of a management…
Maignan is staying for now I guess… Bayern still needs a keeper though
Wieffer price went down after slow start but would be a great signing under 28M, him and Ricci would cost us Tiji price.
Thiaw extra cash could be used to get Leoni and finalize the CB. Lucumi is also very interesting and might be good option to go for if we gonna play 3 men defense instead.
fullbacks and strikers are gonna be the harder part
Milan needs solidity in the middle, and that can be provided by players who would immediately get involved, not young and talented players who would have to wait a couple of seasons. Can Milan wait for player development and wait for results? It can’t, my friend, and that’s why they have to work like this. The players you listed as replacements for Reijnders type Ricci, De Paul and others are expensive and could not lead to a jump in quality.
So we’re looking at 433 with Modrić-Xhaka-Fofana trio? It’s balanced alright, but we’d still need Modrić and Xhaka deputies. Fazzini and Caviglia would be budget but talented alternatives imo.
Modrić-Xhaka-Fofana
Fazzini-Caviglia-Bondo
Serie B here we come…
I agree about Fazzini (very similar to Tiji and Empoli’s relegation means that we can get him for cheap) but Xhaka and Modric should be subs… we need higher quality players there
Modrić is going to play with Real in the world championship hahahaha. If Real would play until the end of the tournament, which is July 13, it means that Modrić would be there as a Milan player from July 1. Then he would come back and have to take an annual vacation of at least two weeks, which means that he comes to Milan on August 1 hahahaha. One month after the start of preparations. Well done, good job.
Wasnt this guy problem in Arsenal dressing room? Why do we want something like that ? As if we don’t have enough problems already.
He had a problem with the fan base, but went through a hell of a redemption arc before leaving for Leverkusen.
I think he grew up finally, he was a manchild until 27. So I think he is fine, but still to expensive for his age.
Remember – a few months ago we were told that Ricci was in the bag!!!!
Now everybody seems to have forgotten about him.
At €30 million he is too expensive for our king rat.
I don’t care about age. After 2 years of seeing Krunic, Musah, Pobega, RLC, Adli and Fofana trying to build up from the back. Modric and Xhaka are world class players and will be a huge upgrade. If they come with younger Rejinders replacement (Saibiri would be great) great.
Who is better than him in the position of CDM, and that Milan can buy him. Don’t just tell me it’s Ricci because I watched him last night against Moldova and he was awful to say the least. Rovella is not for sale, and Caviglia is a promising player, but not a player who would immediately take responsibility for one of the most important positions in the team.
Ricci is massively overrated, I agree, he has been awful for us, both him and Tonali.
The problem is paying 20M for a soon 33 year old. How long is the contact you offer? If he falls of after 1 year was it worth the fee + his 3 year contract? Example. Paying that much for a 33 year old is stupid. Maximum 8M.
Is it your money?
You must complain innit?
This is what I feared, we will soon regret taking Tare
Xhaka-Fofana-Saibari
Ricci-Bondo-Modric
This groups of core and extras should be solid enough for top4.
Ricci 25 M Xhaka 15 M Saibari 25 M
That’s total 65 M.
Get back in the champions league at all costs. I do not mind the idea of a balanced and smart midfield, even if it is old (especially for one year). A combination of Fofana, Xhaka, Rabiot, and Modric , could be exactly what is needed to completely unlock the wingers, while also protecting the back line. Steady calm, smart, good passers. I don’t hate it as a stop gap to get back in to the CL.
Could not have agreed more. Of course, players such as Fazzini and Ricci are more promising, but it also comes at a cost: they are not seasoned. Next year we need a group of players that are ready both mentally and experience-wise, and are actually able to unlock our best players. In real life it doesn’t work like FIFA career mode, where you throw a bunch of you and promising players together (which the management did previous years). You need a clear plan and a clear strategy, and players who can materialize that. I for one am not that opposed to Tare and Allegri. Seeing the names of players they are bringing forward, I think they have a plan. And that is something Milan has not had for quite a while.
And remember: the ‘best’ player is not the most expensive or talented player. It is the player that acutely fills the need of the rest of the squad tactically and mentally.
Frendup would be a decent addition to our DM position. Love hos workrate and tenacity. Ricci doesn’t convince, do we need another 3 seasons for him to break thru…
3-5 million max , let’s be serious…
Exactly, he will be 33 soon.
Xhaka is fine, he will fire up the squad and is the kind of enforcer we haven’t had in years. This is much better than signing Ricci. Rovella should still be an option, but should we not qualify for the world cup it will be the insistence on Ricci and Tonali, who for some reason thinks he’s now a LWB.
Milan does not have the pull we once had.
Plus without UCL who wants to join this mess?
So Allegri knows what the bear minimum is to qualify for ucl and that’s what he’s adding or going for.
Hence why no scudetto clause.
Maybe next summer we’ll add something special.
First they wanted a ‘Moneyball’ approach….
Now they are getting Xhaka, Modric, Rabiot?
This is the most ridiculous owners and management I have ever seen throughout my whole life
Strawman
Potentially great short-term signing – the issue is those 3 years on his contract
Albanier,just like Tare . Two pensionists in the middle of Serie A…that is a joke!!!!!!!!Hit the road Jack…pack your things and go!Gonna be worst ACM Season in the last 40 years
Ricci is highly overrated,bring back pobeger,Adli,Bondo,is better than him.