AC Milan fans are rightly worried heading into the summer, after a disastrous 2024-25 campaign and the rumours of big sales being needed.
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As Tuttosport reports this morning, as if potentially finishing ninth in the league and missing out on European football were not enough, in all the newspapers there is nothing but talk of Milan needing to sell players because of a worsening financial situation.
It is no secret that Tijjani Reijnders is in the sights of Manchester City, who are trying to replace Kevin De Bruyne. Milan have already shown their hand in the recent past by agreeing to sell Sandro Tonali for a huge offer, someone who had a huge attachment to the club.
Reijnders sale not needed?
However, the paper points towards something that could negate the need to cash in on Reijnders: the sale of Theo Hernandez. A contract renewal with the French full-back seems far from likely, but his departure is certainly probable.
The Rossoneri fans could never accept two favourites leaving the team in the same summer, so if they had to choose, their choice would fall on Theo, despite his appearance as part of the promotional material in the presentation of the new 2025-26 kit
Theo’s performances have largely been negative this season, at least compared to the standards he has set for himself, and that is another reason why the fan base would be more in favour of ‘sacrificing’ the former Real Madrid man.
It is possible that both Hernandez and Reijnders leave, too. Without the Champions League there is a need to replenish the accounts and two sales of this kind would provide much-needed oxygen for the accounts.
It has been said that Theo can be bought at a bargain price given his contract that expires in a year, while with Reijnders there is much more profit margin, given that he has a deal until 2030 and probably will not push to leave.
Other sales
The projected €25m loss for the 2024-25 financial year could be helped if Juventus permanently sign Pierre Kalulu for €14m, after paying a €3m loan fee. Juve seem intent on exercising this option, but the two clubs will also have to figure out when to register the operation.
If it were to be done within this sporting and financial year, Milan’s losses would drop to €11m. If the deal were to materialise bureaucratically from July 1 onwards, the Diavolo could begin to create the cushion needed to bridge the gap from not being in Europe next season.
Looking ahead, in fact, Milan could end up with a deficit of €80m next season, which will make it necessary not only to return immediately to the Champions League, but also to sell players who are not part of the technical project and who may be in the market.
This is why it will be essential for the club to cash in on the sales of Tommaso Pobega, Alexis Saelemaekers (both could produce big capital gains), Yacine Adli, Ismael Bennacer, Lorenzo Colombo, Samuel Chukwueze, Noah Okafor and perhaps even Malick Thiaw.