Glasner closing in: the negotiation enters its decisive phase
AC Milan has made further concrete progress in negotiations with Oliver Glasner for the role of head coach. In the past few hours, new direct contacts took place between the club and the Austrian manager, formerly of Crystal Palace, as Milan accelerated to bring a matter that has been dragging on for over two weeks to a close. At this point, Glasner is the most concrete and most advanced candidate for the Rossoneri’s bench heading into the 2026/27 season.
The deal is not yet formally signed, but the direction is clear: the Austrian coach, born in 1970, has shown full willingness to accept the Milan proposal, viewing the move to Milanello as a significant step up in his career. With his agreement in principle, all other names linked to the club in recent weeks are gradually fading from the picture.
Who is Glasner: a CV that speaks for itself
Oliver Glasner is no novice. The Austrian manager built his reputation in Europe through a solid and progressive career path. At VfL Wolfsburg he showed his ability to lift mid-table sides to compete at the highest levels of the Bundesliga. At Eintracht Frankfurt he claimed the UEFA Europa League in 2022 in a memorable run against top-class opposition. Then, during his Premier League adventure with Crystal Palace, he lifted three trophies, including the UEFA Conference League, confirming his ability to perform under pressure.
None of his previous clubs have belonged to the very elite of European football, but his results paint the picture of a capable, prepared and winning manager. The real test will be the Milan environment: a demanding club that in recent years has worn down even coaches with impressive track records. Sergio Conceição, for example, had won with Porto, yet internal difficulties weighed on his tenure at Milan. The same can be said for Massimiliano Allegri, a great student of Italian football and a trophy winner at both Milan and Juventus, who also struggled to navigate the club’s internal tensions.
The real issue, then, is not Glasner’s quality as a coach, but rather Milan’s ability to offer him a calm, well-structured environment in which to work.
Rangnick: a different situation, longer timelines
A separate discussion applies to Ralf Rangnick, whose name has long been linked to a technical and sporting director role at Milan. The German manager is currently in the United States, preparing the Austrian national team for the World Cup. Announcing a deal with Milan at this stage would inevitably create friction within the Austrian football federation, undermining his credibility during such an important competition.
Rangnick has also made his conditions clear: he wants full operational freedom, no interference in his decisions, and the ability to bring his own large staff — reportedly 15 to 20 collaborators — to be distributed across the club’s structure, from the upper tiers of Casa Milan down to the youth sector. A legitimate request for a manager of his standing, but one that will need to align with the figures already in place at the club — a balance that is still far from settled.
A step forward after weeks of uncertainty
On 25 May, Milan officially confirmed the dismissal of the previous head coach. Since then, over 15 days have passed with no official announcements — a communication void that created uncertainty in the transfer market and frustration among supporters. Now, at last, the finish line is in sight: Glasner’s name appears to be the right one to build around, and Milan has every interest in closing the deal quickly in order to also get moving on the transfer market front.
Time has been lost, but every passing day brings the Rossoneri one step closer to a fresh start. And this time, the signals are genuinely encouraging.
