AC Milan are ‘confident’ of keeping reported Arsenal target Hakan Calhanoglu despite the fact that the Turkey international will be a free agent in a matter of weeks, director Ricky Massara told DAZN, via Football Italia.
From Lionel Messi to David Alaba, Memphis Depay to Sergio Aguero, some of the biggest stars in world football will be available for free this summer.
And if Milan are not careful, their recent renaissance could be over before it ever really begun.
Three of the club’s most influential players – Calhanoglu, Gigi Donnarumma and Zlatan Ibrahimovic – are set to depart on July 1 with their contracts expiring during the summer transfer window.
According to Sky, Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal have shown an interest in the former, with one of the most creative midfielders in Europe joining the likes of Nabil Fekir and Jesse Lingard on the Gunners’ hitlist.
But, with Milan sitting second in Serie A and closing in on a return to the Champions League, there is still a belief that Calhanoglu, Donnarrumma and Ibrahimovic will all be wearing black and red again in 2021/22.
“We are confident that we can sign a deal with Ibrahimovic imminently. There’s no news yet on the others (Donnarumma and Calhanoglu), but we feel confident there too,” Massara explained.
“The club has played its part and proposed some big figures, so we trust that they will be accepted.”
Sky adds that Milan have offered Calhanoglu a new long-term contract worth £66,000-a-week.
The former Bayer Leverkusen star, however, wants closer to £85,000-a-week – a fee that Arsenal would surely stump up with minimal fuss.
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