Mike Maignan has not been a certainty for Milan for some time now.
The performance of the French goalkeeper, born in 1995, has been on a worrying decline over the past few months, with standards far from those of his first two seasons in the Rossoneri shirt after arriving from Lille. Even Sergio Conceição's recent decision to hand him the captain's armband, in an effort to further increase his responsibility within the locker room, does not seem to have had the desired effect. Meanwhile, the contract extension negotiations—now in the final stages—for a renewal until 2029 (with an option for an additional season) from his current deal expiring in June 2026 have not helped dispel doubts about his future. In fact, over the past few days, following his shocking mistakes against Feyenoord in the Champions League and Torino in Serie A, rumors about a potential departure at the end of this season have gained traction.
In recent years, Mike Maignan has been linked with major foreign clubs in search of a top-tier goalkeeper, from Manchester United to Bayern Munich, and even Paris Saint-Germain, which, according to French media, considered him last summer amid Luis Enrique’s doubts and complications surrounding Gianluigi Donnarumma’s contract renewal. That negotiation, according to his agent Enzo Raiola, is still ongoing and could still lead to an agreement. On July 3, the French national team’s No. 1 will turn 30, and with his imminent renewal at Milan, his salary would rise from the current €2.8 million net per season to €5 million plus bonuses. This salary would still be within reach for any top club outside Serie A.
And what would Milan do?
According to Tuttosport, Milan has begun scouting for a worthy replacement for Maignan at his best, and at the moment, three main profiles are under consideration. One option leads abroad, specifically to Lille, a club with which Milan maintains excellent relations and from which they originally signed Maignan. Lucas Chevalier has been one of the best goalkeepers in the French league for at least two seasons and is positioning himself for a significant leap in quality next season. Born in 2001 and a product of Lille’s youth academy, he has recently broken into the national team setup and was a key figure both in last season’s campaign—when Lille, under Paulo Fonseca, had one of the best defenses in Ligue 1—and this year, where he has maintained a high level, even in the Champions League. Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona are among the clubs keeping a close eye on him, and now Milan could join the race as well. Under contract until June 2027, his market value is estimated at around €30 million.
Milan, Maignan could leave even after renewing: three profiles to replace him
The other two solutions Milan is considering are Italian, aligning with a new philosophy aimed at both squad registration rules and fostering a stronger identity within the locker room. These options are Elia Caprile and Marco Carnesecchi. Particularly intriguing—also from a financial standpoint—is the name of Cagliari’s current goalkeeper, who is on loan from Napoli until the end of the season. The Sardinian club is eager to make the move permanent for the agreed €8 million fee with De Laurentiis. His outstanding performances for Cagliari, following two strong seasons at Empoli and earlier at Bari, have convinced many, including Atalanta and Milan.
In some ways, the fate of the Verona-born 2003 talent is linked to that of Marco Carnesecchi, who is increasingly establishing himself as a key figure in Gasperini’s Atalanta side and has reached a level that has attracted the attention of several top clubs. Under contract with Atalanta until the summer of 2028, the Romagna-born goalkeeper has a significantly higher market valuation than Caprile, at no less than €40 million.
