Italian outlet Calcio Mercato and chief reporter Patrick Berger of German outlet Sport1 are reporting that Lille goalkeeper Mike Maignan is AC Milan‘s most likely replacement for Gianluigi Donnarumma, should the Italian starlet depart after the season.
Donnarumma’s contract ends this summer, and he has yet to agree on a renewal. Negotiations have been going through, but it seems as if the Rossoneri are planning ahead in case of a departure.
Mike Maignan the Most Likely Replacement for AC Milan’s Gianluigi Donnarumma
The Contract Dispute
Donnarumma is not only one of the best goalkeepers in Italy, but one of the best in the world. He’s also just 22-years-old, meaning he has plenty of time left at his current level, or even better.
He’s been starting for Milan since he was 16. It’s rare to have a 22-year-old with six years of experience, but it explains why Donnarumma is so far ahead of the rest of the goalkeepers in his age range.
According to the same reports, Milan are now offering Donnarumma €8 million per year on his new contract. Mino Raiola, Donnarumma’s agent, is notorious for looking for the highest salaries possible for his clients. This comes as no surprise, as his clients include some of football’s biggest stars in Paul Pogba, Erling Haaland, and Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Ibrahimovic, however, recently extended his contract with Milan so Donnarumma’s extension isn’t completely out of the air.
Milan is Donnarumma’s boyhood club, and they’re on the path for their first Champions League qualification since he became a first-team player. One would think he would want to be a part of this, but at the same time, a player of his level has earned a top payday.
Mike Maignan: The Deal and His Quality
The reports mention that Milan have a deal with Lille for €18 million for Maignan’s transfer. Maignan will also get paid a net salary of €3 million per year. Obviously, this deal saves Milan money compared to the Donnarumma deal. Milan’s squad needs some fixes all-around, so this may make sense if they choose to build the best squad possible with Champions League looking likely.
Maignan is also a terrific goalkeeper. Lille are currently in first place in Ligue 1, leading Paris Saint-Germain by one point with four matches to go. Also, Lille have allowed the least amount of goals in Ligue 1 with just 22 in 34 matches. Maignan, of course, has a lot to do with this. He has 18 clean sheets in the league, meaning he keeps a clean sheet in more than half of his games. Maignan did have a tough time in the Europa League, however, allowing 12 goals in eight matches.
He’s still proving to be one of the top goalkeepers in France. He’s also 25-years-old, so he doesn’t change up Milan’s focus on youth either.
Milan would likely prefer to keep their gem and homegrown product in Donnarumma, but Maignan is one of the best possible replacements on the market.
Main Photo
