Çalhanoğlu’s version of his Milan exit: what the Rossoneri management really said
Hakan Çalhanoğlu has once again spoken about his departure from AC Milan and his free-transfer move to Inter Milan, which took place several years ago. In an interview with Kafa Sports, the Turkish midfielder stated: “We waited until the very end for Milan to make a renewal offer, but it never came.”
However, this account does not match the facts as relayed at the time by the Rossoneri management duo of Paolo Maldini and Frederic Massara. According to direct sources, Milan did present a renewal offer to the Turkish international — a significant proposal worth approximately €4.4 million per season, a considerable figure given the club’s lower salary cap at the time.
The offer existed, but Çalhanoğlu chose a different path
The real issue was not the absence of a proposal, but rather the player’s desire to secure more lucrative terms elsewhere. By leaving on a free transfer, the former Rossoneri number ten and his entourage stood to benefit from higher agent commissions and a signing bonus — a well-known mechanism in modern football.
In the same interview, the Turkish star revealed that his agent informed him of interest from Barcelona and Juventus before Inter’s offer arrived. “At the last moment, Inzaghi wanted me badly,” Çalhanoğlu explained, adding that he asked himself how it was possible to move from Milan to Inter. His agent advised him to sleep on it, and by the following morning the decision was made.
A chapter in Rossoneri history that still sparks debate
The Çalhanoğlu saga remains one of the most debated episodes in recent AC Milan history. The direct switch to the city rivals caused deep frustration among Rossoneri fans, and every time the midfielder revisits the topic, controversy reignites. Yet it is worth noting that this moment also marked a turning point: the Maldini-Massara management went on to build a squad that won the Scudetto in 2021/2022, proving that Milan always finds a way to bounce back and turn adversity into opportunity.
Today, AC Milan is focused on the future with renewed ambitions, and certain chapters belong firmly in the past. Still, it remains important to set the record straight when someone tries to rewrite history.
