Ordine: Maignan ‘rapprochement’ underway – Milan should offer retrospective ‘reimbursement’

All might not be lost for AC Milan in their hopes of convincing Mike Maignan to remain at the club and to sign a renewal.

Maignan’s name has been in the spotlight ever since his heroics in Milan’s 1-0 derby win over Inter on Sunday night. In addition to making brilliant saves to deny Marcus Thuram and Lautaro Martinez, he stopped a penalty from Hakan Calhanoglu inside the final 20 minutes to preserve all three points.

While that would normally be entirely positive news, Milan have found themselves somewhat backed into a corner. The Frenchman’s deal runs out at the end of the season and there has been little good news forthcoming regarding a potential renewal, despite Adrien Rabiot’s encouragement.

Maignan U-turn possible?

Franco Ordine has published his weekly column for MilanNews and – in addition to speaking about the Australia game and the controversial incidents from the derby – he comments on Maignan’s future.

“The Maignan affair. From personal and professional experience, I advise well-known transfer market experts – almost as if to mark their territory – not to deny the developments in the Maignan affair.

Photo by AC Milan

“If a trusted journalist like my colleague Monica Colombo warns in the Corriere della Sera that a rapprochement is underway between the parties, she won’t dream about it overnight, nor will she bring it up in some TV commercial.

“The maneuver may not be effective, but it exists and certainly shouldn’t be underestimated. In this regard, I’d like to offer a suggestion to the key players in the negotiations.

“To make the club’s repentance tangible, and to ensure reimbursement for lost time, Furlani and Tare should submit a contract to Maignan that stipulates its validity starting in January 2025, the date of an agreement reached that was later abandoned by the club. This would be a concrete demonstration of the mistake made!”