Stefano Pioli decided to accept a very lucrative offer from Saudi club Al Ittihad. Calciomercato.com reveal that his salary is set to be 10 million euros net per season, and not 16 or 18 million euros like initial reports suggested. This move, though, could impact Milan's move in the transfer market window this summer.
According to today's print edition of the Italian newspaper Repubblica, Pioli moving to Saudi Arabia allows Milan to free themselves from the last year of the Italian coach's contract and simultaneously save around 10 million euros (Pioli had a contract until 2025 worth 4 million euros net plus bonuses), which could automatically be allocated to the transfer campaign. At this stage, it's mainly about Joshua Zirkzee, whose future will be revealed only after the end of the European Championships (on Saturday at 9 PM CEST, the Netherlands will play the quarter-finals against Montella's Turkey).
AC Milan currently doesn't want to satisfy Kia Joorabchian, the agent of Bologna's striker, who is asking for about 15 million euros in commissions, but an injection of money, initially not foreseen, could change the Rossoneri's position. With Pioli in Saudi Arabia, Furlani would have only the new coach Paulo Fonseca on the payroll, who has signed a three-year contract worth 2.5 million euros net per season for the first two years, with a salary of over 3 million euros in the third year. Kia was in Milan yesterday, but there were no confirmations regarding a meeting with Milan.
Another help could come to the Rossoneri from Pioli. Among the clubs considering Ismael Bennacer, who is leaving Milan, there is also Al Ittihad. The Algerian midfielder, who has always found space with Pioli when fit and healthy, has a release clause of 50 million euros, but the Rossoneri might settle for less. The former Empoli player is indeed one of the profiles who could be sold; the goal is to raise cash and save on the salary, which is 4 million euros net until 2027.
