Milan: Walker arrives, Joao Felix on pole. The negotiations

Kyle Walker, compact as a 4×4. And Joao Felix, slim, elegant, sophisticated like a spider. Different like few others, yet men of destiny for Milan: they are the great candidates to strengthen the team in the January transfer window.

walker arrives

—

Walker is one step away from Milan: he will almost certainly arrive with a 1 million loan and a 5 million right to buy. If confirmed, he would sign with the Rossoneri until 2027. A temporary transfer for six months as if it were a sort of internship, before deciding whether to proceed with the actual hiring. Not that Walker – for the career just mentioned – needs to prove himself up to the task, if anything in the first period the ability to settle into a new championship and in a team that after the technical change remains in search of its own identity will be assessed. An agreement can also be easily reached on the player’s salary: City guarantees Walker six million between now and summer 2026, Milan can offer him the same amount with a contract until 2027, therefore spreading the fee over several years of agreement. This is why if, as it seems, the deal materializes soon, Milan will be his first “foreign” team.

no rashford

—

Thus the negotiation can close shortly: in the next few hours we will be able to move on to the exchange of documents. Speaking of formalities: Walker’s arrival would effectively exclude that of Marcus Rashford. Only one British player is allowed to register per season, and the English derby to become a Milan player was won in defence. In addition to the economic difficulties and competition from Barcelona, ​​Conceiçao himself was decisive: between defense and attack he deemed it more appropriate to strengthen at the back. Even more so with a player who has experience and a winning mentality, aspects that are crucial for him and which he insists on in every public outing. This is what the coach also reported during the transfer meeting with the club. After today’s match, on which the parties’ attention is focused, the negotiations will be able to enter the final phase. Finish line near.

joao on pole

—

Thus Joao Felix’s prices soar. The Portuguese is a specific request from Sergio Conceiçao who knows him very well and would gladly include him in his attack given that he can play as an attacking midfielder and left winger in the 4-2-3-1 or second striker in the 4-4-2. It was the former Porto coach who suggested the change on Thursday and the club is doing everything possible to please him. Having understood that the Rashford affair would go on for a long time because the Englishman hopes to wear the Barcelona shirt and because United (for now) wants him to pay 75% of the salary of 13.5 million net, the Devil started to work on Joao Felix, assisted by Jorge Mendes, the same prosecutor as Conceiçao.

loan with right

—

The formula hypothesized by Milan is a loan, also because last summer Chelsea purchased Joao Felix from Atletico Madrid for 52 million and tied him up until 2030, plus the option for a further season. Thinking of buying him now, for the club from via Aldo Rossi, is not feasible, despite a salary (4.5 million per season) that is more… human than that of Rashford. The Devil cannot afford to procrastinate because Chelsea only have one slot available to lend a player abroad. And his priority is to place the left winger Ben Chilwell, completely out of Maresca’s project unlike Joao, who for the role of attacking midfielder in the Italian coach’s hierarchies has Cole Palmer and Christopher Nkunku ahead of him, but who still scored seven goals in nineteen appearances. In short, he is not a first choice, but not a redundant either and on Monday, since Palmer is not at his best, he could start against Wolverhampton. It is clear, however, that Joao Felix is ​​intrigued by the prospect of wearing the Milan shirt. The London managers, however, are focused on reinforcements: they have made an attempt for United’s Garnacho, explored Borussia Dortmund’s Jamie Bynoe-Gittens and are discussing an exchange with Bayern between Tell and Nkunku. If the latter leaves, it could be more difficult for Milan to have Joao Felix. This is why the Devil does not want to wait and, after the first contacts that have already taken place, in the next few hours the pressing will become even stronger. The objective is to convince Chelsea by inserting a right of redemption of around 35 million in the summer of 2026. A six-month loan would be needed and then renewed for another year. In short, there is work to be done and, given that Milan are also attentive to other opportunities, Joao is now in pole position.