Franco Ordine has revealed his belief that AC Milan should renew two of their star players, while also questioning Sergio Conceicao’s style of management.
Mike Maignan and Theo Hernandez have had difficult seasons so far and for similar reasons. Both have made some quite high-profile mistakes, while off the field the fact that both of their contracts run out in 2026 means that there is an absence of calm about the future.
Nonetheless, a number of reports are suggesting that a deal is in place with Maignan over an extension for a couple of years at least, that will see him net a pay rise too. Yet, despite this, he could be renewed and sold.
For Theo, on the other hand, everything has gone a bit quiet about his contract situation and instead the rumours have cranked up regarding a potential replacement too, like Maxim De Cuyper or Rayan Ait-Nouri.
Ordine published his weekly column for MilanNews and he chose to speak about the renewal issue connected to the two Frenchmen and also whether Conceicao might need to convey more calm.
While waiting for the two challenges that can relaunch Milan and also Conceiçao or virtually remove him from the Rossoneri bench next season, there are two issues to address,” he began.
“The first, in order of time and importance, concerns the chapter of contracts to be renewed. From the reports of specialised journalists, two have already been done, they just have to wait for the right time to announce them and they concern Reijnders – who is to be considered one of the most successful purchases of the last two years – and Pulisic – perhaps the real revelation in terms of performance.
Those of Maignan and Theo Hernandez remain in the balance, between accelerations and braking that have been chasing each other since last summer. Here on this point I would like to make the following reflection.
“I read somewhere: it is time to let it go… I think instead that it is useful, for Milan, exactly the opposite. And that is to proceed anyway, and quickly, in view of the end of the season, to reach an agreement for two fundamental reasons.
“The first is of a basic psychological nature: it means letting the two Frenchmen know and understand that the club’s trust has not waned despite their recent performances having dropped dramatically.
“The second reason is economic: it’s one thing to negotiate the transfer with a long contract, and another thing to deal with someone who knows that in a year one of the two will be released for free! It’s not very complicated to understand, come on.
The second issue to address is the choice of the sporting director. For a few weeks now, a few candidates have been circulating, some genuine, others pushed by the usual agents who aim to have a prop inside the club like Milan to place some of their clients.
“I don’t know and I don’t want to know what Ibrahimovic’s orientation is on the matter. I only know that this is the time for choices and not in a month or even worse in July when the market has already reached the final phase.
Let it be done and let it be done in such a way as to introduce him into the Rossoneri governance with the possibility of studying not only the technical figure and the characteristics of the current players, but also their behaviour, a topic that has always been considered fundamental at Milan for a choice or for a sale (the famous phrase by Arrigo Sacchi: ‘I chose the players’ heads because then I could accommodate their feet!’).
“Dedicated to SC – I entrust the following reflection to the intelligence of Sergio Conceiçao. If it happens that in Zagreb Gabbia stumbles and Musah gets sent off (by the way: he is a yellow card from suspension against Bologna!), if in Rotterdam Maignan makes a blunder, if against Feyenoord it’s Theo Hernandez’s turn and in Turin they first make a mistake with the goalkeeper and then with Pulisic from the penalty spot, it probably means only one thing: this team enters the field unsure and not at all serene.
“Hence the question: can the coach do something to give a bit of serenity and emotional balance to the group? I’ll wait for Bologna to see if SC has read my post.”
