AC Milan are reportedly set to imminently announce the permanent signing of Sandro Tonali, with both parties deserving of credit for securing a deal.
As per MilanNews, an agreement has been reached between Milan and Brescia, as the former will pay a further €10m including bonuses to sign Tonali on a permanent basis.
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Giacomo Olzer will move in the opposite direction, while combined with the €10m spent on Tonali last summer, that means the total cost of the deal for Milan is €20m.
Tonali takes wage cut, Milan save €15m in new agreement
According to Antonio Vitiello, that represents a €15m saving for the Rossoneri in terms of what they were initially expected to pay in the deal agreed last year, while Tonali is said to have taken a wage cut in order to stay at the club, as that was always his priority.
Focusing on the financial aspect of the deal firstly, both parties should be commended for getting this over the line in such a way that is beneficial to the club and player.
Milan will now put that €15m ‘saving’ towards other targets this summer, while Tonali showed his desire and loyalty to the Rossoneri through a salary reduction, such is his determination to flourish at the club.
It’s excellent business from the Milan hierarchy, and a move that hopefully sets them up to seal more important deals in the coming weeks to strengthen the squad further.
Tonali must now become key figure for Milan
The 21-year-old arguably had a bigger role than expected last season given Ismael Bennacer’s injury troubles, as he made 37 appearances and played an important role in helping us secure Champions League qualification.
While we certainly didn’t see the best of him as he struggled with his own niggles and form issues, he put in a number of solid shifts across the campaign and performed well alongside Franck Kessie.
With Milan returning to the Champions League this season, we’ll need strength in depth in the squad, and so that trio will certainly have important roles to play, while the expectation is that the Rossoneri could make one more signing in that department too in order to allow Stefano Pioli to rotate.
During his time at Brescia, Tonali was one of the most highly-rated young players in Italy, and perhaps in Europe. That talent and ability is obviously still there, and as he prepares to seal a permanent move to Milan, he’ll have to work tirelessly to deliver on that potential and emerge as an undroppable figure in the starting XI.
It might have been a generally underwhelming debut campaign, but at 21 and with so much talent, the best is certainly yet to come from Tonali in a Milan shirt.