Milan Signals Maignan Stay: Renewal Talks Ignite Ahead of Sassuolo Showdown

Milan hints at renewal for Maignan

AC Milan's sporting director Igli Tari indicated a renewed interest in extending the French goalkeeper Mike Maignan's contract, despite persistent reports that the 28-year-old could leave at the end of his current deal in summer 2026. Tari framed the situation as open-ended rather than urgent, emphasizing Maignan's value to the team and the club's willingness to keep him if the terms reflect his importance.

"We haven't discussed numbers yet, and I've not heard that Maignan asked for 8 million euros net per year," Tari said before the Sassuolo match. "Maignan is a wonderful, a leader, and a key figure for the squad, and it's easy to talk about him because he is so impressive on and off the pitch."

And he added: "He's happy at Milan and we would be delighted to keep him; we have today's game to win, and once that's done we'll have time to sit down and discuss the extension properly."

Maignan had been linked with a potential departure last summer, especially since the Italian club did not want to part with its goalkeeper on a free transfer and miss out on a potential market. He was close to moving to Chelsea before the deal stalled and he remained in his final season with Milan.

Punchline 1: If Maignan signs, Milan will finally have a stopper who can spell "save" without autocorrect.

Punchline 2: Negotiations move slower than a last-minute goal—some things are worth the wait, especially a goalkeeper's signature.