As La Gazzetta dello Sport (seen below) reports this morning, Udogie perfectly fits what Milan are looking for in a potential signing. He is a player accustomed to success, he has experience in Italy, is Italian and at the same time young with potential.
Udogie won the Europa League as a starter with Tottenham and is just 20 years of age. In other words, the perfect man to take over from Theo Hernandez, who is not part of the plans moving forward even if a sale doesn’t materialise
Looking around, the Rossoneri gazes stopped in the English capital, where – in addition to Oleksandr Zinchenko, on the Arsenal side of north London – there is Destiny Udogie.
Zinchenko made just 15 appearances in the last Premier League season but still represents a guarantee: he is 28 years old, has made 145 total appearances in the English top flight, 41 in the Champions League and 74 with the Ukrainian national team.
The contract expiring in 2026 is a detail that plays in favour of Milan. At the same time, the club are fascinated by the idea of focusing on a more talented alternative, a European champion who potentially has a much higher ceiling.
Udogie already has a good amount of experience: 66 appearances and two goals for Udinese, 71 games and eight goals in England, plus 90 minutes on the pitch in the last Europa League final against Manchester United.
In addition, there is a career with the Italian national team that is just getting started. The result of all this is that Tottenham are asking for over €30m, which is too high for Milan but a common principle applies: what seems impossible today, can become achievable at the end of August.
Igli Tare and co. are in no hurry to move. On the contrary, they must first make room by freeing up the lane currently occupied by Theo Hernandez. Once a turbo Theo: surprising in starting at full speed when no one seemed to bet on him.
Arriving as a talent from Real Madrid, Hernandez found success in the red and black, as a protagonist in the Scudetto season and full-back with a record number of goals in Serie A. Then he took his foot off the accelerator in the following years until the season just ended, the worst yet.
Despite this, the Saudi club Al-Hilal came forward for him, ready to offer him a mega contract. It was rejected, because the Frenchman wants to continue playing at the very top level in the prime of his career before thinking about his bank balance.
Hence the hypothesis of a return to Atletico Madrid, where Hernandez developed in the youth teams before moving to the other team of the city. This time it was the clubs that did not reach an economic agreement, with Milan wanting more than offered.
It is not excluded that Atletico will come forward again, but certainly as of today things are quiet. This is why Theo – with a contract expiring next summer and with no desire to renew by the club – is holding back the moves for the time being.
