AC Milan looked at other targets and explored several options but they have decided to try and secure Sven Botman ahead of the summer, a report claims.
According to Calciomercato.com, Milan worked hard for weeks to try and sign Botman in the January transfer window – even getting the approval of the player – but in the end they had to give up because Lille did not open to the idea of selling the Dutchman.
That is because they had already parted with Jonathan Ikone and they did not want to lose another key piece in view of their Champions League round of 16 clash against Chelsea. However, Paolo Maldini and Ricky Massara have no intention of giving up and are convinced they can sign him in the summer.
The report adds that Milan are ‘well on the way to reaching the finish line’ and there is already an agreement in principle over a four-year contract with the former Ajax defender, who said ‘no’ to Newcastle because he wants to join Milan.
The two clubs are negotiating a deal at around €27m as a fixed sum with the addition of bonuses to reach a maximum of €33m. Maldini and Massara have decided to focus on Botman, who has the approval of all the management, believing he is Fikayo Tomori’s ideal long-term partner.
READ MORE: Style, strengths, weaknesses and numbers – Analysing if Botman would be a good fit for Milan
