Milan market, a giant is on the way if Maignan does not renew
Mike Maignan’s future at AC Milan continues to be in doubt. Negotiations on the French goalkeeper’s contract extension are currently stalled, and the Rossoneri club is looking around for possible replacements. According to rumors, the Diavolo would in truth have already found the right candidate in case the French extreme defender leaves the Meneghina club on a zero-parameter basis next June. Indeed, at the top of Milan’s list would be the name of Hugo Souza, goalkeeper of Corinthians.
Nin 1999, Hugo Souza was decisive in Corinthians’ victory in the recent Brazilian Cup, and he also recently earned his first call-up to Carlo Ancelotti’s Brazilian national team, where he made his debut in October in the friendly lost to Japan. Raised in Flamengo, Hugo Souza in the 2023-2024 season had played on loan at Chaves, Portugal. This year at Corinthians he has definitely exploded, keeping the Timão goal unbroken 26 times out of 56 total appearances.
Two meters tall, adept at exits and on low and high balls, he is valued by Corinthians at between 10 and 15 million euros, an affordable sum for the Rossoneri coffers. Hugo Souza has a contract with the Brazilian club until 2028. Milan is trying in any case to retain Maignan, and has put on the table an offer of 5 million euros per season, plus bonuses. At the moment, the distance has not yet been bridged, and the far defender is interested by the offers coming from the Premier League: many top English clubs are ready to offer him lavish contracts to persuade him to move to the Premier League on a zero-parameter.
In the meantime, Milan is studying how to fix the defense. In the last 3 matches played, the Diavolo has conceded 6 goals: 2 against Torino (Vlasic on penalty and Zapata), 2 against Sassuolo (Koné and Laurentié) and 2 against Napoli (Neres and Hojlund). To make things right, Igli Tare and Giorgio Furlani are working on the Axel Disasi front, on the sidelines of Chelsea’s plans.
The champion has already asked his entourage to find him an alternative arrangement and the Milan hypothesis is definitely tempting even if the Blues would have to accept a free loan with part of the wages paid by them.
