What happened with Kessie must be a warning sign for AC Milan so the renewals of Theo Hernandez and Bennacer should be a priority for the club.
The situation of Franck Kessie is echoing painful memories from the past. This summer, the Rossoneri lost Gianluigi Donnarumma and Hakan Calhanoglu on free transfers and the Ivorian central midfielder risks following their footsteps. The 24-year-old rejected AC Milan’s last renewal offer and is in negotiations to join PSG.
It’s almost out of AC Milan’s hands since the contract of Kessie expires in a few months. The only option Milan have is to sell him in January and get a reduced fee from his departure. However, there is something AC Milan can do for the future.
The management needs to learn from past mistakes and avoid letting big names arrive near the end of their contract. Theo Hernandez and Ismael Bennacer are next in line and AC Milan must act quickly to avoid another similar situation.
Both players arrived in 2019 and their current contracts expire in 2024. Theo Hernandez arrived from Real Madrid for a figure of nearly 22 million euros. His market value has tripled ever since with the French defender becoming one of Europe’s best left-backs. Hernandez currently earns €1.5 million per season. A very low salary for a player of his value. The Rossoneri have already moved to contact his agent and open talks for a new long-term contract.
Same story goes for Ismael Bennacer who arrived for about 16 million euros two years ago and whose value has grown a lot. His salary is about 1.5 million net per year plus bonuses and in the current contract there is also a release clause of 50 million (valid only for foreign clubs). For both players the management must move in advance and tie them down to new contracts. Otherwise, other clubs will start circling.
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