There’s been a low hum around the training ground lately—not blaring through loudspeakers, but no longer subtle either. With Theo Hernández’s departure to Al-Hilal now official, AC Milan is already turning the page. The Rossoneri club was linked to quite a few left-backs, but the choice has finally landed on 27-year-old player from Ecuador, Pervis Estupinan. But, it should be noted that Real Madrid’s Fran Garcia was also linked with a potential move to the San Siro.
What could have been: Fran Garcia to AC Milan?
If Milan were to sign the 25-year-old Spanish defender, it would not have felt like a rushed replacement plan concocted in the last second. In fact, García fits a profile that the italians have chased before. They typically look for someone with the pace and vision to support the attack but also enough restraint to avoid leaving gaps at the back. He isn’t a flashy dribbler or a headline-grabber, but that’s never been the standard here. Milan doesn’t want a clone of Theo. They want a solution.
So when fans began noticing García’s name being floated, they started doing what they always do. They began connecting the dots and watching for signs, including how betting lines and player valuations might reflect the rumblings. It’s why betting sites have popped up in conversation. It’s not just for gamblers but for supporters curious about how the wider market sees the move. This is especially true right now, as popular sports betting sites have odds on a Milan transfer at 2/1 and his value is reportedly set at €20 million (source: http://topoffshoresportsbooks.com). Sites like that, oddly enough, have become one more lens fans use when trying to figure out if a transfer has legs.
These odds shifts and valuation trackers sometimes mirror momentum behind the scenes. This offers another angle to understand where the talks may be heading. If the number creeps or chatter spikes in a particular market, it’s usually not random.
If Garcia were to join Milan, Luka Modrić’s presence would certainly have been a great boost and a positive aspect that changes the dynamic entirely, not just that he knows García well. It’s that his presence at Milan allows for the kind of influence you don’t always hear about but definitely feel. According to multiple small sources, he’s mentioned García positively in internal chats. Maybe he did not really push for the deal himself, but he may have made it known that the fit could work. In the game of football, that kind of quiet encouragement can move things forward faster than expected.
For Milan, there’s history in this position, after all. Serginho, then Hernández, and now maybe García. The club has always known how to spot a left-back who plays with intelligence and nerve. García, though quieter on the pitch, brings structure, balance, and timing that reflects a maturity some younger players still lack. He doesn’t need to be the fastest. He reads the play and makes the kind of recovery runs coaches love.
Clips from last season were shared again. These aren’t just highlight reels, but longer sequences showing positioning, composure under pressure. Also showing how he resets the tempo without breaking shape. Fans did not need confirmation anymore to start imagining him in red and black. The excitement builds on its own.
Finally, it is true that Milan have signed a great left-back in Pervis Estupinan who landed in Milan in the last few hours to undergo his medical examinations and fitness tests. He was seen as a pillar of Brighton’s squad, especially under the guidance of Italian boss Roberto De Zerbi. For now, Fran Garcia’s idea fades. But who knows, his path with Milan could cross in the future, because in football, you never say never, and the transfer market never sleeps as situations and opportunities always arise.
