Ismael Bennacer is off the table for clubs like Liverpool, says Fabrizio Romano. A new clause keeps him at AC Milan.
It seems Ismael Bennacer won’t be going anywhere for some time. The Algerian’s contract was winding down at AC Milan, allowing for teams to apply pressure to the situation.
Bennacer’s contract was due to expire in 2024. Milan would have felt a need to sell this summer or even this month in order to get a fee for him. Liverpool were, according to Fabrizio Romano, applying the most pressure.
But reports now claim that Bennacer has a new contract. A release clause was initially said to be in there, too – £44m. That suggested teams could still get him for the right price and we suggested that idea ourselves.
Romano has poured cold water on the situation, however. He writes on Twitter that Bennacer’s clause doesn’t come into effect until June 2024.
“Ismael Bennacer will sign new deal with AC Milan today,” he said. “It will be valid until June 2027. Official statement to follow.
“Release clause will only be valid from June 2024, not next summer. Value: €50m.”
Ismael Bennacer and Liverpool
It’s a shame. Bennacer is a fantastic player, one Milan boss Stefano Piolo calls ‘complete’. Liverpool need midfielders right now, however, and not in 2024.
Milan won’t sell this summer, though. Not unless there’s a massive bid that goes far beyond his 2024 release clause – and it makes little financial sense to do that.
Liverpool’s chance to sign him was before he agreed to a new deal with Milan. Now he’s done that, there’s no real chance of any transfer happening here.
So what now? Well, Liverpool are linked with every other midfielder on the planet, so there are still some potential deals. Any players that arrive this month must not put the Jude Bellingham pursuit in jeopardy, though. That’s the big one for Liverpool.
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