Who Approved the Extra Holiday? Amorim
The case of Mike Maignan and Adrien Rabiot‘s extended break has sparked plenty of debate in recent weeks. As previously reported, both players will not return to Milanello until 16 August — just over a week before the official start of the season. A new detail has now emerged: it was Ruben Amorim himself who gave the green light for the additional days off. The club’s ownership granted the Portuguese head coach full authority over squad management decisions.
There is a logic to the choice — building a positive relationship with key dressing room figures is a reasonable strategy for a new manager — but it comes with contradictions that are hard to overlook. Maignan and Rabiot will arrive at Milanello without having ever worked with their new head coach, having missed the entire pre-season, and with very little time to prepare before the season kicks off.
Maignan’s Behaviour: Something Doesn’t Add Up
The most sensitive issue involves Mike Maignan, who wears the captain’s armband. You would expect the captain to be the first one rushing back to Milanello — eager to meet the new manager, energise the group and show his commitment to the cause. A captain, by definition, should be the driving force behind the team during periods of transition.
Instead, the French goalkeeper appears to be moving in the opposite direction. He was absent from recent club institutional events, and these additional days away create — at least in terms of perception — an image of detachment rather than engagement. That impression has not been lost on the Rossoneri faithful, who expected very different signals from the man wearing the captain’s armband.
On the Market? No — But With a Condition
On the purely sporting and club level, however, the picture is clear: neither Maignan nor Rabiot has been placed on the transfer list. Milan considers them effectively untouchable and central to Amorim’s project. Unlike Fofana, who has been informed he can leave, neither player has been told to find a new club.
There is, however, an implicit clause: should a significant offer arrive — in the region of €30–40 million for Maignan from a Premier League club, for example — Milan would assess it seriously and look to reinvest in a goalkeeper of equivalent standing. The same logic applies to the French midfielder. Until that point, both remain key pillars of the Rossoneri project.
The hope is that, once back at Milanello and working alongside Amorim, both Maignan and Rabiot will let their performances do the talking. When the Rossoneri win and their big names deliver, off-pitch discussions tend to fade very quickly.
