Thiaw sale can help Milan balance the books for 30m | OneFootball

Milan are expected to sell Malick Thiaw this summer to balance the books if they fail to qualify for the Champions League, with Bayer Leverkusen eager to buy at €30m.

The Rossoneri are struggling in ninth place, even if it is a very tight battle for the top four, with six teams going into this weekend in a six-point radius.

Nonetheless, the prospect of missing out on the most lucrative tournament is very real and will have an important knock-on effect for their finances.

Thiaw potential Milan profit boost

epa11810240 Inter’s Lautaro Martinez (L) in action against AC Milan’s Malick Thiaw (C) and goalkeeper Mike Maignan (R) during the Supercoppa Italiana final match between FC Inter and AC Milan, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 06 January 2025. EPA-EFE/STRINGER

According to the Corriere dello Sport, a player who could be sold to bring in fresh funds is defender Thiaw, who turns 24 in August.

He was purchased from Schalke 04 for €9m including bonuses in the summer of 2022 and has been in and out of the starting XI this season, making 27 competitive appearances.

Bayer Leverkusen are said to be eager to bring Thiaw back to the Bundesliga, seeing him as the natural heir to Jonathan Tah.

If the asking price is set at €25-30m, then it would be a huge profit for the Rossoneri.

Thiaw had already been linked with a move to Newcastle United last summer and is by no means someone Milan are determined to hang on to.

That is evident by the fact his contract expires in June 2027, yet there have been very limited talks over a possible extension.