Milan might have to do without Franck Kessie in pre-season training, as he is reportedly included in the Ivory Coast squad for the Tokyo Olympics.
According to various reports, the midfielder will be drafted in as one of the overage players available for the tournament.
It kicks off on July 22 against Saudi Arabia, then Brazil on July 25 and Germany on July 28, with the Final set for August 7.
It’s bad news for the Rossoneri, as the 2021-22 Serie A season kicks off on August 22.
Milan begin pre-season training on July 8, so Kessie will certainly miss most of that crucial period with coach Stefano Pioli.
Nobody is more in need of a rest than the 24-year-old, who made 50 competitive appearances for the club this season, scoring 14 goals and providing six assists.
There are also quite a few concerns, because Kessie will be called up for the Africa Cup of Nations in January 2022.
The Olympics is one of the tournaments that clubs do have the right to withhold players from, as Napoli and Roma have already taken this step to rule out the likes of Fabian Ruiz and Borja Mayoral from the competition.