La Gazzetta dello Sport provided an update on what AC Milan's summer transfer market could look like, estimating that the club could invest 100 million euros to strengthen Stefano Pioli's team. This amount is calculated by combining savings on players' wages who will leave, income from their sales, and a prediction of the budget allocated by the RedBird founder Gerry Cardinale.
AC Milan will not undergo major changes in its foundation during the summer transfer market. They will build upon their certainties, the 13-14 regular starters from this season, while making "restructuring interventions" that will be financed, as we will see, through a combination of funds. Many secondary players will change teams since their on-field contribution has been modest, but financially, some of them have had an impact as if they were indisputable starters.
This is the case, for example, with Divock Origi. By June 30th, he will have cost the club a substantial 5.2 million euros, despite only scoring 2 goals in the league, which were also inconsequential in terms of the final result. Nevertheless, he is currently one of the highest-paid players on the team, alongside Theo Hernandez. Since he was signed on a free transfer, he can at least be useful as an outgoing transfer, should there be concrete interest from the Premier League (West Ham) or the Süper Lig (Fenerbahçe). Milan could potentially earn 7-8 million euros from his transfer.
The failure to exercise the buyout option for Sergiño Dest from Barcelona for 20 million euros will allow Milan to save almost another 5 million euros in wages. After the summer transfer market, the salary expenses for Tiémoué Bakayoko (4.6 million euros), who will return to Chelsea at the end of his loan spell, and Ante Rebić (4.5 million euros), who is on the list of departures and could leave for 4 or 5 million euros, will no longer be included in Milan's wage bill.
It is also unlikely that Aster Vranckx will be redeemed from Wolfsburg, so his salary of 1.9 million euros will remain with Milan. The departures of Ciprian Tătărușanu, Antonio Mirante, Fodé Ballo-Touré, Yacine Adli, and Zlatan Ibrahimović will result in additional salary savings. The first two will be replaced by Marco Sportiello, signed on a free transfer, and a small portion of the summer budget has already been invested in him. Adli could leave on loan or permanently if the right offer comes in. It is probable that Ibra will leave his 1.3 million euros on the table at the end of the season.
Therefore, the total amount saved by Milan in terms of wages for the summer transfer market is approximately 28 million euros. An additional substantial sum of around 20 million euros can be generated from player sales. From Origi to Rebić, including Adli, Ballo-Touré, and even Lorenzo Colombo, who will return to the club after his loan spell at Lecce. In addition to these 50 million euros, approximately 50 million euros from the club's budget will be allocated.
Among the priorities are a center forward (Álvaro Morata, Marko Arnautovic, Gianluca Scamacca are on the list), a midfielder (Ruben Loftus-Cheek), a right winger and/or an attacking utility player (Daichi Kamada is in pole position). However, this budget is also proportional to the revenue guaranteed by qualification for the 2023-2024 UEFA Champions League. That is the true determining factor.
Relayed via Pianeta Milan.
