Theo Hernandez will not remain at AC Milan beyond this summer, with a sale now being evaluated by all parties involved.
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, the picture after Thursday’s meeting at Casa Milan between sporting director Igli Tare and agent Manuel Garcia Quillon is clearer: Theo’s chances of renewing are now zero.
His Rossoneri story ended on Wednesday 14 May, on the night of the Coppa Italia final lost in Rome against Bologna. There could have been a better ending and instead, barring any surprises, the Frenchman will close out his Milan experience with 262 appearances and 34 goals.
Theo pushes to leave
It was the player himself who made it known that at this moment his will is to try a new adventure elsewhere. Also because the gap between the offer and the demands for a contract extension is enormous. Indeed, it is unbridgeable.
Given the disappointing performance of 2024-25, Milan offered Theo €4m net per year, a lower salary than the current one (€4.5m). Since the first talks last autumn, the former Real Madrid man has been asking for €8m, which would make him the highest paid player in the squad.
There was a rapprochement at the end of 2024, coinciding with the win in Madrid against Real, but the possibility of reaching the white smoke was never concrete. Now the parties are looking for a way to part peacefully.
The Diavolo said they were willing to keep him until his contract expires and then lose him for free because they know that the player would still give his all, determined to play a super season before the World Cup.
Theo, however, knows what he would face, especially on an environmental level without a renewal, and has given Quillon the mandate to sound out the market. The summit at Casa Milan was useful for discussing the price of the player’s contract, starting from two parameters.
The first: the Frenchman has 12 months left until his contract expires, a condition underlined by Quillon to set the lowest possible figure. The second: in the winter transfer window Como offered up €40m to buy him.
Saudi doubts
This is why Quillon is talking to clubs, or rather top clubs, who might be interested in a left-back. Milan have no objections to Italian clubs, as long as the offer is fair.
Hernandez already has an offer from Al Hilal, who would like him by June 10 to play in the Club World Cup, and are willing to give him a three-year contract worth €18m net per season. For Milan, the offer would be around €20m.
However, nothing official has arrived and Quillon has only hinted at the Saudi possibility, announcing the imminent visit of a trusted intermediary of president Fahad bin Nafel, who is the number one at Al Hilal.
In reality, however, the transfer to Riyadh does not fully convince the player who does not seem inclined to sign any time soon, thus precluding the possibility of going to a big European club in July or August.
The Arab pressure from tomorrow onwards could increase in coincidence with the choice of the new coach of Al-Hilal. Milan intend to let their full-back leave only in the presence of a suitable offer even if his purchase price, the €20m paid to Real in 2019, has been almost completely paid off.
Then of course he would have to be replaced, an easy task considering his performance last season, but much more complicated analysing what he has done in previous years. Obtaining a high figure would be important to generate a nest egg to invest in the inevitable reconstruction of the team.
