AC Milan midfielder Ismael Bennacer is reportedly of interest to clubs in Saudi Arabia amid talk of a release clause in his contract.
The 26-year-old joined us from Empoli in August 2019 and he has since gone on to establish himself as a pivotal figure in the side having made 170 appearances for the club.
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Injury troubles limited him last season and so we didn’t see the best of him, but ultimately his presence was certainly missed and the expectation is that he will be a key figure for Paulo Fonseca in his first season in charge.
However, as per Antonio Vitiello, there is a €50m release clause in his contract which runs throughout the summer and not just until mid-July as perhaps touted elsewhere, and there is said to be interest from Saudi Arabia in the Algerian international.
From a Milan perspective, it means very little until a proposal is made that triggers that clause, at which point it will be out of the club’s hands as to whether or not they can approve an exit for Bennacer this summer.
In a worst case scenario though, a bid is made late in the transfer window and we’re left in a difficult position in terms of bringing in a suitable replacement, and so that is perhaps something that the Rossoneri management will need to be aware of as we continue to plan our transfer strategy in the coming weeks and months.
That said, it seems likely that Bennacer will have an important role to play for us in the upcoming campaign, and if there isn’t even a desire on his side to leave ahead of a new cycle starting with Fonseca at the helm, then it shouldn’t prove to be too much of a concern.
Milan began the summer needing to improve and strengthen in midfield by bringing in reinforcements that suit Fonseca’s ideas and complement the options we already have at the club. In turn, hopefully we’ll see Bennacer get back to his best form on a consistent basis this season, and play an integral part in our success moving forward.