AC Milan could be set to miss out on a sizeable chunk of funds that would have gone in the summer transfer kitty, according to a report.
This morning’s edition of Tuttosport (via MilanLive) takes a look at the situation surrounding two defenders technically still owned by Milan in Mattia Caldara and Andrea Conti.
Caldara returned to Atalanta from Milan in January 2020 on an initial loan until June 2021 but with an option to buy set at round €18million. He started strong with La Dea, returning to being a starter, but after a number of injuries and having lost his place it seems unlikely that the Bergamo club will pay so much.
It is a different situation for Conti, who went to Parma two months ago with the formula of a loan with option to buy set at €7million which becomes and obligation if they avoid relegation to Serie B.
Conti is playing as a starter under D’Aversa, but the problem is that the team from Emilia are currently second-last in the standings and thus closer to relegation. Therefore, a total of €25million could be missed out on, and Pioli could have two unwanted players in his squad for preseason.
We are not getting anything from Caldara. If we are lucky he will agree to terminate contract. Or some poor GM, in a moment of mental weekness, will loan him for the next year and get his salary off our books. The question is – how do we get a GM of another club so drunk?
Conti on the other hand can still be sold for up to 10M. He is useful when healthy. Would be even good rotation for us. Problem is that it can not be another loan with option, as he will enter last year of contract this summer. Maybe we can extend with him and keep him for rotation one year (loan out Kalulu who is not ready for ACM.) Then we might try another loan with option in 2022. It’s risky though – he will be 29 when that loan ends and he would have to remain semi-healthy for 2 year – so maybe its better to get rid of him right now and cash in whatever we can.