Alaybegović to Atalanta: Milan Risk Losing a Generational Talent
Not all the news coming out of the rossoneri’s transfer operations is positive, and the situation around Alaybegović is perhaps the most frustrating development of this summer window. The young Bosnian talent — who burst onto the world stage at the World Cup — appears increasingly likely to join Atalanta, with Milan currently trailing badly in the race to sign him.
Atalanta Pull Ahead of Milan
According to the latest reports, the Bergamo club have moved decisively in recent weeks, positioning themselves as the frontrunners for the 18-year-old. The transfer fee — estimated at around €30 million — has likely slowed down interest from several clubs, Milan included, who appear to prefer investing in more immediately ready profiles.
The player himself reportedly waited for concrete signals from multiple clubs, Milan among them, but the most structured and serious offer has come from La Dea. Atalanta — a club with a well-established track record of developing young talent, as seen with Lookman, De Ketelaere and many others — are said to be in negotiations not only with the player’s entourage but also with Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen, the two German clubs that also held interest in the Bosnian. The fact that Atalanta are negotiating directly with those clubs suggests the deal is at an advanced stage.
Ibrahimović Backed Him: A Missed Opportunity?
What makes this development particularly surprising is that Zlatan Ibrahimović, in his role as Senior Advisor at Milan, had publicly expressed enthusiasm for Alaybegović, praising his qualities and mentality. Yet despite the Swedish icon’s endorsement, Milan does not appear to have pressed their case with the required determination. This raises questions about the real influence of internal technical assessments on transfer decisions at the club.
As we highlighted in previous weeks, Milan should not have wasted time on Alaybegović: the talent was undeniable, the asking price was known, and the competition from other clubs was already clear. The very real risk now is watching him make his Serie A debut in an Atalanta shirt — gifting the Bergamo club a potential star to develop or deploy immediately.
Milan Must Find Alternatives
The failure to close this deal pushes the rossoneri’s management to look elsewhere for a creative attacking midfielder to add to Amorim’s squad. Names already on the radar — Can Uzun and Karetsas — remain in the notebook of the technical staff and management, while the international market continues to be monitored for the right profile.
What is certain is that Milan cannot afford to stand still: building the squad for the new season is fully underway, and every window of opportunity must be seized quickly and decisively. Atalanta have once again shown they know how to move fast. The rossoneri would do well to learn from this.
