Milan are set to reach an agreement with Ismael Bennacer to extend his contract, but the Rossoneri hope the Algeria international won’t be the last player to pen a new deal at San Siro in the coming weeks.
Bennacer has recently changed his agent, picking Mino Raiola’s cousin Enzo, and he is now close to agreeing on a new contract with the defending Serie A champions.
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, the Algerian is on the verge of signing a contract extension which would see him triple his wages, reaching €4m per season.
Bennacer’s current contract only expires in June 2024 but renewals have become a sensitive matter in recent seasons for the Rossoneri, after losing the likes of Gianluigi Donnarumma, Hakan Calhanoglu, Alessio Romagnoli and Franck Kessié on a free transfer.
This is the reason why sporting directors Paolo Maldini and Frederic Massara want to plan ahead and add Bennacer’s name to a list of new deals which already includes the likes of Fikayo Tomori, Pierre Kalulu, Davide Calabria and Theo Hernandez, who all chose to renew their contract in the last few months.
Milan hope Bennacer will only be the first player to pen a new deal in 2023. The Rossoneri will also offer new contracts to Olivier Giroud and Rafa Leao.
The France striker’s stay at the club formally ends at the end of the season, while Leao’s contract runs out in 2024. Milan are notably in a hurry to determine the Portuguese’s future given that he has attracted interest from several top European clubs, including PSG, Man City and Chelsea.