Paolo Maldini confirms Ismael Bennacer will sign a new Milan contract ‘within 24-36 hours’ and Rafael Leao ‘wants to’ continue at San Siro, while the club is happy to wait for Charles De Ketelaere.
The Rossoneri host Torino in the Coppa Italia Round of 16 this evening.
You can follow all the action as it happens on the LIVEBLOG.
Before kick-off, director Maldini spoke to Sport Mediaset and naturally was asked about transfer strategy as well as this match.
“Milan are ambitious in all four competitions, as while Serie A and the Champions League took up the first half of the campaign, now we are concentrated on the Coppa Italia,” said Maldini.
It is four tournaments because they will face Inter in Riyadh on Wednesday January 18 for the Supercoppa Italiana as well.
“The Coppa Italia is an important trophy, although in the past it wasn’t always treated as such, but I remember when we won it 20 years ago, three days after winning the Champions League.”
Olivier Giroud and Rafael Leao are rested this evening, with Divock Origi, Ante Rebic and Zlatan Ibrahimovic injured, so Charles De Ketelaere is tested out as a False 9 in an experimental 3-5-1-1 formation.
“De Ketelaere is 21 years old, he has a five-year contract and this is a long-term project. We cannot think that a Coppa Italia game in January is his last chance to make an impact. That would be very wrong.
“We have seen many times, for example Sandro Tonali, that young players can take a while to adapt and settle in before showing what they can do. These are players who need to find something else in themselves that they didn’t need before coming to Milan.”
The January transfer window probably won’t see many reinforcements for Stefano Pioli, although Milan are stocking up on young goalkeepers for the future.
“We chose this path of sustainability and won’t move from that. We feel that we are competitive, we’re the reigning Champions of Italy, are still in four tournaments this season and so will do practically nothing in the January window.
“We also have faith in Ciprian Tatarusanu, while we also have Antonio Mirante and signed Vazquez. There’s no new goalkeeper on the way.”
The biggest issue at Milan is ensuring they lock down their current star players, for example Bennacer and Rafael Leao.
“I think in the next 24-36 hours we will get it done for Bennacer,” confirmed Maldini when asked about reports the new contract is already agreed.
Negotiations continue with Leao’s father and representatives to work out a new deal, staving off interest from Liverpool, Chelsea and more.
“We are talking, there are videocalls too and not just in-person meetings. We will try to reach an agreement. It seems like both parties want to continue together and we will try to close a deal.
“We’ve been trying to do that for the last year and a half, but a lot happened in that time. The important thing is we want to extend and it seems as if the player wants to as well.
“This team was largely built on the transfer campaign of 2019 and practically all of those who arrived have extended their contracts. I have to say, all those who wanted to renew their deals have done so.”
While Bennacer and Leao are clutch for us, we badly need reliable attackers that aren’t over 35 or named Origi, Paolo…. For crying out loud.