According to Fabrizio Romano, AC Milan attacking midfielder Hakan Çalhanoglu is receiving heavy interest from Qatar. Çalhanoglu’s contract with the Rossoneri expires this summer and has yet to be renewed. Qatari side Al Duhail has put down an offer of €32 million net as a three-year salary, with the contract set to end in June 2024. The Turkish star, however, would prefer to remain in Europe.
Hakan Çalhanoglu Receving Interest From Al Duhail in Qatar
Performances this Season
Çalhanoglu is finishing up an up-and-down season for Milan. At times he shows flashes of brilliance, looking like the top playmaker in Italy. At other times, his request for €7 million per year in his next contract with Milan looks outlandish.
It’s safe to say he’s inconsistent, although the good performances overshadow the bad ones. With this being said, he recently played a massively uninspiring match in Milan’s draw against Cagliari, where a win would’ve cemented their spot in the Champions League next season.
In 32 Serie A matches, Calhanoglu has four goals and ten assists to his name. This mean’s he’s directly participated in 19% of the team’s goals.
Outside of Serie A, in Europa League (include qualifying matches), Calhanoglu scored five goals and provided two assists in nine matches.
Overall, these are obviously very solid numbers. Milan’s hesitancy is understandable, however, as Calhanoglu is not the same player when Zlatan Ibrahimovic isn’t on the pitch. Although that holds true for much of the Milan squad, Calhanoglu is relied upon as the top playmaker.
Clearly, he’s not done convincing the Milan hierarchy that he’s the answer.
What the Future Holds
Çalhanoglu wants to remain in Europe. He’s only 27-years-old, so the reasons are quite clear. Staying in Europe means more top competition which in turn will allow him to improve.
Milan must produce a result over Atalanta this Sunday, or hope that other results fall in their favour, to clinch a Champions League spot. It’s the last match of the season, so saying everything is on the line is not an exaggeration. Should Milan qualify, it’s a safe bet that Çalhanoglu receives an extension. If they don’t, it’s difficult to picture Milan being able to afford him.
Al Duhail are a Qatari powerhouse with seven league titles to their name. This ties them for third for most Qatar Stars League titles.
The club is also home to some notable players. First and foremost, they have Medhi Benatia. The Moroccan international remains a strong defender and is a former member of both Juventus and Bayern Munich.
Al Duhail is also home to two other stars – Edmilson and Dudu. The pair are two of the most prolific scorers in the league.
A move for Çalhanoglu makes sense for monetary reasons, but it’s easy to see why he may be hesitant. He’s now in the middle of his prime, and there are plenty more opportunities for European glory.
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