La Gazzetta dello Sport report that the hope is that Maignan agrees to sign the contract with Milan and that, as captain, he reaffirms his bond with the club. An agreement had been reached in recent months at €5m net per year plus bonuses, though it was never signed.
As the weeks went on, combined with some disappointing performances from the Frenchman, have led the club to reflect and revise their offer downwards. Now it is a €4.5m per year take it or leave it offer, with an extension until 2028 or 2029
An answer must arrive soon because the Devils cannot afford to keep Maignan until his contract expires and then lose him for free in the summer of 2026. Thus, the hunt for potential replacements runs parallel.
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The Maignan file will be one of the most urgent on the new sporting director’s desk, but the current management have moved forward with the process by scouting established goalkeepers ready for a stage like Serie A.
Ironically, Mike’s replacement could come from the same city – Lille – that he came from in 2021. Lucas Chevalier is one option, a keeper who has been in the senior national team for a few months, but has not yet made his debut. He is out of contract in 2027 and is an idol for the fans of Lille.
He also played alongside Maignan, with whom he won the league title in 2020-21. In a few months the 23-year-old player could inherit his locker at Milanello. He is valued at €30-40m, because several teams are following him.
Bart Verbruggen of Brighton is another possibility. The Dutchman is someone that his compatriot Tijjani Reijnders knows well, but Brighton paid €20m to get him from Anderlecht for him in the summer of 2023, when Roberto De Zerbi was their coach and Robert Sanchez was sold to Chelsea.
Verbruggen has grown a lot, and his price has (perhaps) more than doubled. It risks being an even more complicated operation than Chevalier because Bayern Munich and Manchester United have asked for information.
Senne Lammens of Antwerp and Marco Carnesecchi of Atalanta are also monitoried. He is one of the possible sales that La Dea could make, but he too will not be sold at a discounted price. Translated: the money arriving from Maignan would have to be reinvested in full.
