Sixty million that won’t arrive: the bill is steep
In a summer already complicated by leadership and managerial uncertainty, Milan must also reckon with a significant financial shortfall on the loans front. Three players who had been sent out on temporary deals with buy or sell-on clauses will not be signed permanently by the clubs that took them. The total comes to roughly €60 million in missed income — a sum that weighs heavily on the club’s finances and summer transfer planning.
Chukwueze at Fulham: €28 million on hold
The most significant case involves Samuel Chukwueze. The Nigerian winger was loaned to Fulham, with a buy option set at €28 million. The English club showed strong interest in the player, but no official agreement has been reached so far. In the coming weeks, Fulham may attempt to negotiate a deal on different terms, possibly pushing for a discount on the agreed fee. The problem, however, is that Milan currently lack the necessary leadership figures to sit at the negotiating table: who is supposed to handle this negotiation in the absence of a sporting director and a CEO?
Bennacer at Dinamo Zagreb: €10 million set to slip away
A similar situation surrounds Ismaël Bennacer, the Algerian midfielder loaned to Dinamo Zagreb. His buy option was set at €10 million, but that figure now looks increasingly out of reach. The player’s high wages also represent a significant obstacle for the Croatian club, making a permanent move an ever more unlikely scenario. Bennacer will therefore return to Milanello, where a new solution will need to be found.
Musa at Atalanta: €25 million back to square one
The third case involves Lamine Musa, a midfielder loaned to Atalanta with a buy option of €25 million. Despite the initial expectations — the loan had been structured with a view to a permanent purchase by the Bergamo club — this move will also not materialise. Musa will return to Milan, adding to the list of players in need of a new destination.
Three returns, three extra problems: the new sporting director faces a mountain of work
The picture that emerges is clear: the incoming Milan sporting director will find three players to reintegrate or sell on the desk, on top of all the other operations already in the pipeline. Chukwueze, Bennacer and Musa all need to be assessed, marketed or brought back into the squad, depending on the choices of the new manager and the new technical setup. In the meantime, those missing €60 million will need to be compensated somehow within the club’s financial planning.
Milan’s summer of 2026 is becoming increasingly demanding. But with the right resources, the willingness and the speed required, the Rossoneri have everything they need to turn this transitional phase into a platform for renewal. Milan’s history, after all, is one of great rebirths.
