At a delicate juncture, AC Milan are caught in a dilemma that is as high as the pressure to survive: after being knocked out of the Europa League by Roma, the team is about to face a derby with Inter Milan after a series of sluggish performances, which could be a crucial juncture in the handing of the Serie A title to their city-side rivals, a historic setback that needs to be avoided. In this complex and intertwined situation, the future and fate of current head coach Stefano Pioli will be determined by this.
Milan's permanent vice-president, soccer superstar Demitrio Albertini, gave an in-depth interview to Gazzetta dello Sport, where he not only dissected the current predicament facing AC Milan, but also further explored the strategic choices regarding the summer transfer market. On the question of whether one of Maignan, Te'o or Leao should be sold in the summer transfer window, Albertini admitted: "I would sell one, I tend to make such a difficult decision to sell, it is. It would be wise to look back at Milan's actions for Tonali last summer, and in particular to seek to strengthen the squad on the basis of financial soundness. When considering the sale of the big names in the squad, my judging is based on two criteria: the first priority is to speak directly with the players to gain insight into their inner desire to stay and whether they can adapt and fit into the club's new technical blueprint, and secondly, to assess the impact of each of the three in the dressing room and in and out. In doing so, the importance of the first principle goes beyond the latter – how to deal with a leader who no longer believes in the club's long-term plans? ”
Stefano Pioli's reign seemed to be coming to an end, with a crushing defeat in the Europa League and Roma marking a turning point in his managerial career, signaling his departure from AC Milan at the end of the season. AC Milan will need to be cautious in the face of a change in their coaching staff to ensure that key players such as Maignan, Theo Hernandez and Rafael Leao remain at the heart of the team's development after the new coach takes over.
Rafael Leao has now become an iconic figure for Milan under Stefano Pioli, playing an important role in both his technical performance and public image. Despite his disappointing performances against Roma, his leadership has improved significantly after his contract extension last year until 2028. However, Leao's role could change once the coach changes, with big clubs such as Paris Saint-Germain keeping a close eye on him, especially given the possible departure of Kylian Mbappe. However, United have also shown a keen interest and practical ability to do so.
Meanwhile, Theo Hernandez and Mike Maignan are also on the radar of Europe's top clubs, with Bayern Munich in particular. With Manuel Neuer's imminent retirement and Alphonso Davies' contract extension uncertain, Bayern are interested in bringing in both French Rossoneri players at the same time. Their contracts run until 2026, and there is no substantial progress in renewal negotiations. AC Milan are cautious about Bayern's lucrative contract offer and are trying to keep the two key players. For Te'o, Bayern's price is rumored to be in the range of 60 million to 70 million euros, but AC Milan's psychological price is as high as 100 million euros. For Maignan, the absence of a title for two consecutive seasons may have strengthened his desire to win.