The biggest surprise from Milan’s transfer window was being left with Tiemoue Bakayoko, who did not terminate his contract by mutual consent and the high-earning Chelsea-owned midfielder is now a problem.
The 28-year-old is still owned by Chelsea, but moved to San Siro on a two-season loan for €3m last summer with an obligation to buy at €17m if he manages at least 15 appearances of 45 minutes or more in the 2022-23 campaign.
That seems highly unlikely to happen, and he had been in negotiations with both clubs to terminate the contracts early so he could find himself a new team as a free agent.
Surprisingly, that did not go through and Bakayoko remains in the Milan squad, picking up a salary worth €2.5m per season to sit in the stands.
There is still some hope he can be convinced to leave before the markets in Greece, Russia and Turkey close.
He had a series of loan spells since Chelsea bought him from AS Monaco for €40m in 2017, but didn’t make enough of an impact at Milan, Monaco and Napoli to earn a permanent transfer.