CM: ‘Intertwined destinies’ – why Vlahovic didn’t join Milan and what the future holds

Dusan Vlahovic was linked with a move to AC Milan all through the summer, but tonight he could hurt them as an opponent.

Calciomercato.com recall that Milan pursued Vlahovic during the window, with the aim of reuniting him with Massimiliano Allegri. In the end he remained in Turin, but with a contract that runs out at the end of the season, and ‘slim’ chances of an extension.

The background and the future

Precisely for this reason, the Old Lady sought potential buyers this summer to avoid having to pay the €12m net salary the Serbian will get for the 2025-26 season. They also wanted to shed the burden on their balance sheet, which – considering the player’s gross salary and amortisation – has risen to €38.98m.

This is a significant figure for any club, especially an Italian one. Among the Serbian’s possible destinations, Milan were widely discussed this summer and it’s no secret that Allegri would have been happy to work with him again. Igli Tare also spoke with his agent Darko Ristic.

Everything was there to make it work: Juve wanted to sell Vlahovic, the Serbian wanted a new challenge and Milan were looking for a No.9. However, nothing was agreed and in the end the Rossoneri invested €37m plus bonuses on Christopher Nkunku. The Bianconeri also signed Openda and David.

Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images

The two managements, the player’s entourage and intermediaries held several discussions, informal chats that could have turned into something more. Among these phone calls, the names of Malick Thiaw, Ismael Bennacer and Alexis Saelemaekers were considered for a possible swap deal.

The German centre-back wasn’t keen on the Bianconeri and ended up at Newcastle, the Algerian midfielder went on loan to Dinamo Zagreb in Croatia, while the Belgian winger was deemed unsellable by Allegri.

Looking at the statistics, Milan may feel a bit of regret: Vlahovic has already racked up four goals and one assist spread across seven appearances in all competitions, but in just 234 minutes overall (mostly substitute appearances).

Allegri has found the right balance with the squad he has at his disposal, even having not signed a true centre-forward and with Santiago Gimenez struggling to find form. Vlahovic is fighting with Openda and David for a starting spot, ready to hurt the club he could have joined.