AC Milan’s plan for the window revolves around Joshua Zirkzee. He is their number one target, and he has been for several months. However, the deal has stalled in recent weeks due to the financial disparities between the club and his agent, Kia Joorabchian.
Reports in the final days before the mercato’s opening further show Milan’s plans. Zirkzee is the desired heir to Giroud, and the evidence of this can be backlogged for months, but in the days before his clause can be activated, the deal is looking more difficult than ever before.
This is due to the commission being demanded by Joorabchian, a €15 million fee (37% of the release clause value) on top of the release clause, which is believed to be desired due to the super agent’s decision to insert a release clause into his contract.
Regardless of this, the fee does not become any nicer to pay, and just because he may have been worth more without the release clause, they still pay the same amount due to the commission. Today, Tuttosport (via Milan News) have attempted to calculate the cost of the move.
The release clause allows the Dutchman to leave for €40m, and then there is the commission fee, which Milan are attempting to lower by any means possible, and then finally his salary requests, believed to be around €4.5m per season. This means that it could cost around €75m initially to bring Zirkzee to the window if no changes are made to his contract length or commission fees.
Ultimately, a hefty price, and it remains to be seen if the Diavolo want to pay that total.