La Gazzetta dello Sport report that Monaco midfielder Youssouf Fofana is close to joining Milan in the summer. The Frenchman is out of contract with the Ligue 1 side in 2025, and has yet to begin talks on a contract renewal.
Gazzetta journalist Luca Bianchin writes:
Youssouf Fofana, on Saturday night, at the end of Monaco’s match against Metz, was asked about Milan’s interest and responded with a giant compliment: “Everyone knows Milan and its trophy cabinet. It’s a huge club.” He didn’t hold back on adjectives. The statement was followed by the typical caution of a footballer two months before the start of the transfer window – “I remain focused on my mission” – but the signal hides an appreciation that isn’t denied even behind the scenes: Milan, for Fofana, is a very interesting option. A few more weeks, and we’ll see if this will be enough or if fate will lead both elsewhere.
Milan’s Plans
Milan is in search of a physical, defensive midfielder capable of complementing a midfield that is absolutely on the rise (Loftus-Cheek, Reijnders, Adli, and the reliable Bennacer) but much stronger offensively than without the ball. Improvement is possible but not revolutionary: they need the right player. Fofana fits the bill: he has the right profile, physicality, and presence, has been performing at a high level for several years, is accustomed to the big stage, and comes at a lower cost compared to other top-tier midfielders, thanks to his contract expiring in 2025.
Fofana’s Mindset
Youssouf, as they say in Monte Carlo, is ready to take a leap in quality. Nottingham Forest a year ago let Monaco know they were ready to invest, with an offer not far from €35 million. Nothing came of it, and it’s reasonable that Fofana, a few months later, hopes for a more prestigious club, let’s say one of the big European clubs. That response to the MilanNews reporter can also be read in this direction: the prestige of Milan always holds value.
Monaco’s Demands
Monaco is aware of all this and knows that in a year, they could risk losing Fofana for nothing. 2024 is the last useful year to monetize him. The initial asking price from the Red and Whites is €30 million, quite high, reachable only through an international auction, not easy to construct. To raise the price, you need at least a big admirer from the Premier League; otherwise, Milan can hope to sign him for a figure close to €20 million plus bonuses. Furthermore, there are at least two encouraging precedents in this matter.
Precedents
In July, Milan reached an agreement with Chelsea for Christian Pulisic, who had only one year left on his contract, just like Fofana now. Cost: close to €20 million. Later, in late July, there was a handshake deal with Samuel Chukwueze and Villarreal, who accepted a proposal in the order of €20 million plus bonuses. The trend repeats itself, and Monaco is more open to negotiations than other clubs. That’s why another expense in the range of €20 million is plausible, with an agreement on wages that certainly doesn’t seem impossible. Fofana earns €1.5-2 million per season at Monaco, a figure that would certainly increase at Milan, to general satisfaction. On paper, all the prerequisites for the negotiation to take off are there. It remains to be seen how quickly international competition will move.
The Timelines
“In a hurry” are two words to consider. Fofana is a French national, and Didier Deschamps historically asks his players to resolve major transfer issues before going to Euro and World Cup camps. This means that a decision – or at least a rough decision – will need to be made by the end of May, shortly after the end of the leagues. There are two months left, during which Milan will try to win the Europa League, and Monaco will try to qualify for the Champions League by beating Brest, Lille, Nice, and Lens. At that point, a handshake, thanks for everything, and who knows, a couple of hours on the Milan-Genoa route.
