The budget for AC Milan’s transfer window will be boosted by a return to the Champions League as things stand, a report claims.
As La Gazzetta dello Sport (seen below) writes how Massimiliano Allegri has made it a mantra all season, but behind the sporting ambition lies a clear economic motive: playing in top-flight Europe would guarantee the Rossoneri a minimum of €65-70m in extra revenue.
This takes into account not only the money from UEFA, but also the stadium revenue, merchandising, commercial bonuses and so forth. There is a reason, therefore, that it is so crucial for Italian clubs.
The numbers
In 2024-25, the last season the Rossoneri participated in the Champions League, €61.3m came into the coffers from UEFA alone, not counting the aforementioned collateral revenue. Milan’s run of course ended in the play-offs against Feyenoord. This season, the total will be €0.
What about next season, if Allegri’s men manage to qualify? It’s impossible to make detailed predictions, but the club has obviously already started calculating. For example, the participation bonus alone (a fixed fee for qualifying clubs) ranges between €18-20m.
The market pool (TV share tied to the transfer market and historical ranking) is expected to bring in between €20-30m, and another €2-4m from the commercial bonuses associated with sponsors.
Ticketing revenue is more difficult to estimate. Milan would certainly play at least four home games in the group stage, but box office revenue depends on many factors (the opponent’s level, the team’s form, ticketing schedules – special season tickets, promotions, etc.).
Roughly speaking, a minimum of €15m can be estimated, plus €1-2m in merchandising, anticipating a peak in demand on European nights. The final tranche is logically the least predictable of all, as it involves performance-based bonuses.
UEFA award €2.1m for every win and €900,000 for every draw in the group stage, plus a bonus for finishing in the league table. Here, the range is wider, and Milan’s plans call for a minimum of €10m.
It goes without saying that all this revenue would allow Milan to move more aggressively in the mercato, knowing their expenses will be covered by a higher revenue pool.
Last summer, without qualifying for the Champions League, the Rossoneri still invested around €160m in transfers, but the acquisitions were also financed by a significant outgoing market.
If the management is behind this team and Allegri, they would show it this summer. Otherwise it would be business as usual.
Surely we will need to spend all of that amount in the transfer market. With the squad so heavily reduced for this season. Only 19 outfield players.
Management ain”t spending s#it, expect a mediocre Milan again in the champions league