AC Milan have not given up on signing Sven Botman from Lille and they will try again in the summer transfer window, according to a report.
Alfredo Pedulla writes for La Gazzetta dello Sport that Milan are of the the opinion that is useless to make an investment on a player when they are not convinced full by his profile, and that is why a defender may not arrive this month because Botman is their number one target.
Milan and Lille have great relations as seen by the Rafael Leao and Mike Maignan deals which proved to be great business, and in the summer talks could reopen between the clubs especially when taking into account that Renato Sanches is ‘driving Milan crazy’ given they as him a perfect heir to Franck Kessie.
Lille were able to pick and choose their sales more this month because they have reached the knockout stages of the Champions League, so after Jonathan Ikoné left for Fiorentina they preferred to keep their key men with a contract that is not expiring. Reinildo Mandava went to Atletico Madrid, but he was on an expiring deal.
Botman will remain therefore but Milan got an important sign for from the attempt that Newcastle made to land him. The Premier League side went up to €40m but they did not convince the 22-year-old Dutchman who wants to keep playing in Europe’s top competition.
Milan will try again in the summer and the negotiations should begin from a base of €25-28m plus the addition of many bonuses, linked to performances and success, which would approach the potentially golden figure of €35m.
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