Who is Mike Maignan really?
The Magic Eagle, soaring from post to post against Fiorentina? Or the one who brought down Isaksen in the box and shattered Milan's hopes of a comeback against Lazio? There are plenty of examples from this past season that paint Mike as an entirely ordinary goalkeeper. But there are also recent heroics that suggest he's back to his best: saving penalties for France against Croatia, key stops on Kean, Beltrán, and Gudmundsson to keep pace with Fiorentina. That’s why it’s hard to answer the initial question. Maignan did so himself after the latest league match:
"Magic Mike never left. As you know, in life there are ups and downs, and that happens for a goalkeeper too. I never let myself go; you can go through a rough patch, but I always tried to stay focused and confident in my work."
The difficulties were there — even he acknowledged them — but they now seem to be behind him.
Negotiations with Maignan:
In this phase of technical uncertainty, contract renewal talks have entered the picture. His current deal expires in June 2026. A general agreement had been reached months ago, before a string of errors: against Cagliari, Como, and Juventus in the league, not to mention the weakest link, the blunder against Feyenoord that compromised Milan’s Champions League campaign. That’s when negotiations stalled and the deal was thrown into question.
When he was at his peak, Mike asked for the same salary as Leão to continue guarding the Rossoneri goal, a request that wasn’t granted. Later, Mike lowered his demands. And now, the situation has flipped: it’s the club that holds the upper hand. The renewal offer stands at no more than 4.5 million euros net per season. His current salary is 3.5 million euros, still, a much-improved proposal. This is it — take it or leave it. It’s unlikely there’ll be a new round of talks to revise the terms.
If Maignan signs, he’ll stay at Milan until 2028 or 2029, depending on the option to add another year. Otherwise, come summer, the club and his agents may look elsewhere. Bought for “just” €13 million from Lille, Mike still represents a strong potential capital gain, as relayed via La Gazzetta dello Sport in this morning's print edition.
What about Maignan's future?
A strong finish to the season won’t be enough to reopen contract talks. The club’s offer is clear, and it's still generous. It’s the final proposal: if Mike accepts, the signature could come immediately. The team of the future will be built around Reijnders in midfield and Pulisic in attack. With Maignan at his best and rewarded with a new deal, Milan could secure another key pillar.
After his outstanding display against Fiorentina, he tried to dribble past the topic of his future:
“I feel good here, I give everything for the shirt, but I don’t want to talk about the contract. Milan and the fans deserve more. My personal situation isn’t the most important thing.” Only to then “betray” himself by hinting at a continued future in red and black: “We work every day giving our all — I say that with complete sincerity. In the future, we’ll take the lessons from this season and grow even more.”
Now in his fourth season at Milan, Maignan has been under scrutiny along with the other senior players (Theo, Leão, Tomori), blamed for an underwhelming campaign. But there's still time — especially if he renews — to return to being the Maignan of the Scudetto season or the Champions League semifinal run.
When he wasn’t just Mike. He was Magic Mike...
