AC Milan finished second in Serie A last season, but they were a good 20 points behind crosstown rivals Inter Milan and nowhere near their biggest enemies in terms of game-to-game consistency.
The Rossoneri are hoping a new manager in Paulo Fonseca can bring greater success, as Milan are busy working to overhaul the squad again in the second summer under RedBird Capital’s management.
Milan are pushing to sign Emerson Royal and Joshua Zirkzee, among others, but they are also readying some high profile transfers out of the club.
According to Nicolo Schira, the previous rumors are coming to fruition and Milan are indeed open to selling star center midfielder Ismael Bennacer this summer.
Earlier this year, Schira reported that Bennacer has a 50 million euro release clause with clubs in the Saudi Pro League and Premier League interested in signing the Algerian international.
Now, Schira says a club from Saudi Arabia will be preparing a transfer bid to AC Milan in the coming days in order to sign Bennacer.
Although Bennacer is in the prime of his career at 26 years old and was one of the best defensive midfielders in European football over the last several seasons, he had a down year in 2023/24.
At a price of 50 million euros, a team in the Saudi Pro League could actually try to spend over the release clause in order to sign a top European midfielder in his prime.
Clubs in the Premier League have been cool with their interest in Bennacer because of a mediocre 2023/24 Serie A season, but, from Milan’s perspective, that might end up being a good thing if the Saudi Pro League sides bid hard on the Algerian.
Furthermore, an additional wrinkle involves former Milan manager Stefano Pioli, as the 58-year-old coach and former Scudetto winner at Milan just took on the Al-Ittihad job in Saudi Arabia,
Milan fans are already wondering if Bennacer could quickly rejoin Pioli at Al-Ittihad, who have one of the biggest stars in the Saudi Pro League in former Real Madrid and Lyon legend Karim Benzema.
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