AC Milan Have A January Transfer Dilemma On Their Hands

Written By Onyeka Daniel

It’s barely two weeks after the opening of January transfer window and we’re already seeing some intriguing rumors and for Italian giants, AC Milan, they might have a huge decision to make with regards to their transfer plans. Recently, the Rossoneri have been linked with a two EPL players, Marcus Rashford and Kyle Walker.

More Details

But they might only be able to sign just one of them. Manchester City will reportedly let their defender leave on a free transfer in January if he does not agree to stay put at the Etihad, which comes as a bonus for Milan, whose directors are working on a deal for the 34-year-old England international according to the latest reports.

LATEST POSTS

Pep Guardiola confirmed earlier in the week that Walker has asked to leave the club in the January transfer window to finish off his career with an experience abroad. Though there have been suggestions that he could be heading for the Saudi Pro League, it is Milan who have come out as the main contender for his signature.

Reports in the UK claim that Milan advisor Zlatan Ibrahimovic is working personally behind the scenes in order to get a deal done. Now, a separate report from Gazzetta is also claiming that if Walker does not agree to stay on with Manchester City, he will be allowed to leave for free as a gesture of goodwill.

This is in recognition of his long service to the club, spending seven and a half years with the Cityzens and helping them to win six Premier League titles, two FA Cups, four EFL Cups and a Champions League. That means that if a deal with Milan were to go through, the Rossoneri would only need to cover his wages and bonuses.

That is still not a particularly cheap operation, as the right-back, who can also play in the centre-back position reportedly earns around €9m per season, not including bonuses, and is reportedly seeking a two-and-a-half year contract. Walker is not the only England international Milan have been linked with this transfer window.

There are also reports that the Rossoneri are working on a deal with Manchester United for Rashford. However, due to Serie A rules, clubs are currently only allowed to register one new player from the UK per transfer window, which means that Milan will not be able to sign both Walker and Rashford this winter.

Serie A has very specific rules surrounding the registration of non-EU players: There is also a cap on the number of non-EU players each club is able to register in each transfer window. Serie A has had to clarify its stance on the status of British players post-Brexit.

Players from the UK are currently classed the same as those from Switzerland and Albania, who are also not members of the European Union. Effectively, each Serie A club is only allowed to register a maximum of two new non-EU players in each transfer window.

However, as of the 2024-25 season, the league has made a slight revision to the previous rule, and now, Serie A clubs are only allowed to register one British player and one Albanian player per transfer window, but it still wouldn’t help the Rossoneri in their transfer wish.

That means that even if Milan were able to convince both Rashford and Walker to join, they would only be able to register one of them in January. It should be recalled that Rashford’s representatives has already met with directors from a number of different clubs across Europe over the last week, including Milan, Barcelona and Borussia Dortmund.

The 27-year-old looks to secure a move away from Old Trafford, potentially on loan. Though Milan face stiff competition from a number of teams for both players, the reason why the club would not be able to register both Rashford and Walker is not purely down to finances.

Meanwhile, Noah Okafor has spoken to the press from the Linate airport in Milan, where he is preparing to board a flight heading for Germany ahead of his move to RB Leipzig. The Switzerland international is set to join the Bundesliga outfit on loan with an option to buy.

Reports suggest that Leipzig will pay €1.5m to take him on loan, and will have an option to make the move permanent for a fee of around €25m at the end of the season. “I go now to Lipsia, Sempre Milan, you never know in life, maybe you see me again, but for me it was the best option.”

Read Also: “Football Is A Simple Sport, Sometimes We Try To Make It Too Difficult And That’s Not Right”

Okafor told journalists outside the airport when asked if he regrets leaving Milan. He then continued: “Thanks for everything in Milan. Thanks for the Tifosi, it was great, it always holds a place in my heart.” Okafor’s exit is expected to pave the way for new Milan arrivals in January.

Do you have a story tip?
Kindly Email: keepup@bettitude.com

You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube