AC Milan are locked in a tough negotiation with AS Monaco over the transfer of midfielder Youssouf Fofana, with the French club proving to be formidable adversaries.
According to Italian sports daily Tuttosport, Milan have targeted Fofana as their top midfield priority for new manager Paulo Fonseca. They have already offered â¬17 million, a sum they believe to be reasonable considering his contract expires next summer. However, Monaco have rejected this offer, particularly after receiving a â¬35 million bid from West Ham United.
Fofana himself has already agreed to a four-year deal with Milan, earning a net salary of â¬3 million per season. He is reportedly reluctant to join West Ham, preferring a move to the Italian giants.
Monaco's sporting director, Thiago Scuro, shed some light on the club's stance yesterday, stating, "I have a good relationship with Fofana, there are no conflicts. We agreed last summer that he could leave Monaco, but the price must be right for both Fofana and us. Otherwise, he can stay and depart as a free agent next season."
Tuttosport suggests that Milan will need to increase their bid to â¬25 million to secure Fofana. If unsuccessful, they may turn to alternative targets like Manu Koné of Borussia Mönchengladbach or Lazar Samardzic of Udinese, both of whom offer different profiles as more attacking midfielders.
The battle for Fofana's signature is far from over, with Milan facing a stiff test in their pursuit of the highly-rated French midfielder. The next few weeks will be crucial in determining whether the Rossoneri can overcome Monaco's resistance and secure their coveted midfield target.