AC Milan are reportedly closing in on reaching an agreement to sell Theo Hernandez to Al Hilal this summer.
Speculation over the 27-year-old’s future with the Rossoneri has been rife over the past few weeks, and it largely stems from the fact that he has just 12 months remaining on his current contract with the club.
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With little in the way of progress being reported on renewal talks, the feeling has been that Milan will look to sell the French international this summer to avoid the risk of losing him for nothing next year, and after collapsed exit talks this month, it looks as though Hernandez could eventually be on the move.
According to Fabrizio Romano, Milan and Al Hilal are now closing in on completing a deal for the defender, with Hernandez said to have now given his approval for the move after initially being hesitant over a move to Saudi Arabia at this stage of his career, as per reports.
Further, Gianluca Di Marzio reports that there are positive contacts ongoing between the relevant parties, and although the terms of the deal are still to be finalised, it seems as though an agreement worth €25m plus bonuses could be on the cards.
That in turn will be an important cash injection for Milan as the rebuild under Massimiliano Allegri continues this summer, albeit he’ll be left with a major void at left-back given how influential and impactful Hernandez has been since he arrived in 2019.
The Frenchman has made 262 appearances for the Rossoneri, scoring 34 goals and providing 45 assists in those outings to go with his defensive work.
While question marks have been raised over his defensive abilities during that time, and much like the rest of the squad he experienced a real dip in form last season in what was a woeful campaign for the club for the most part, it seems like a sensible decision to cash in on Hernandez now, especially with his contract situation in mind.
That said, it will only seem like a sensible decision if we’re able to adequately replace him, and so if an exit goes through as expected, it will be interesting to see who Milan target as a replacement. What Allegri will surely be pleased with though is that we’re getting a lucrative Saudi offer to boost our transfer coffers, with European sides likely to have offered less.
