AC Milan technical director Paolo Maldini expects Ismael Bennacer to sign his new contract in the next 24 to 36 hours. The midfielder is also a transfer target for Arsenal and Liverpool.
Bennacer is currently tied down at San Siro until June 2024. But he has held talks with the Serie A side over new terms to extend his spell in red-and-black. The Rossoneri signed the 25-year-old from Empoli in August 2019. Arsenal could have re-signed him at the time, too.
The Gunners had Bennacer in their academy from 2015 to 2017 but he only broke through for one first-team appearance. Yet Fabrizio Romano reported in 2019 that Arsenal held an option to match any bids. But they opted against rivalling AC Milan’s £14.5m upfront offer.
Now, CalcioMercatoWeb claims Arsenal are interested in sealing Bennacer’s transfer from AC Milan but Chelsea are also keen. Corriere Della Serra also adds Liverpool as a potential suitor for the Algeria international. It suggested the Reds also tabled an offer in December.
But whilst Arsenal and Liverpool showed an interest in Bennacer’s transfer, AC Milan were discussing his new contract. Calciomercato now notes he should increase his €1.5m-a-year (£25.5k-a/w) wage to €4m-a/y (£68k-a/w) after signalling his readiness to sign new terms.
Bennacer to snub an Arsenal or Liverpool transfer for a new AC Milan contract
Previous reports by Calciomercato have noted AC Milan will not remove a €50m (£44.5m) release clause from Bennacer’s contract. Maldini had hoped to increase the fee in any new terms. But he is now set to, at least, see the 40-cap midfielder put pen to paper this week.
“For Bennacer, it is the decisive week,” Maldini told Sport Mediaset this Wednesday night. “I think it will all be official in the next 24-36 hours.”
Maldini discussed Bennacer’s new contract, against the backdrop of transfer interest from Arsenal and Liverpool, before AC Milan lost 1-0 at home to Torino in the Coppa Italia. The Rossoneri lost to a 114th-minute goal from Ndary Adopo despite Il Toro having a red card.
Bennacer was not in Stefano Piolo’s starting line-up for the San Siro clash but came on for the final 37 minutes. He entered the action with seven minutes remaining of regular time. The tie marked the Arles, France-born star’s 24th outing of the season in all competitions.
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