Rehired Juventus boss Massimiliano Allegri has reportedly given his blessing to the club’s pursuit of outgoing AC Milan playmaker Hakan Calhanoglu. The Turkey international seems to be on the verge of quitting the Rossoneri after four years, having refused all Paolo Maldini’s attempts to tie him down to a new contract so far.
Calhanoglu has a month left on his contract at the San Siro and has been adamant he will not accept Milan’s terms. The 27-year-old is asking for a substantial pay rise to commit his long-term future to the club, which has fallen on Maldini’s deaf ears.
With the Rossoneri already announced the departure of stalwart Gianluigi Donnarumma, Calhanoglu could be another vital first-team member to exit the club in the coming months. In addition to an always-present foreign interest, the ex-Bayer Leverkusen midfielder has drawn attention from Milan’s arch-rivals Juventus.
The Bianconeri are bracing themselves for a busy summer following a disappointing season and are expected to add a few new faces to Allegri’s well-structured roster. The 53-year-old manager will be keen to put his own stamp on the squad he inherited from Andrea Pirlo and has already identified Calhanoglu as a perfect signing.
Juventus are ready to wave goodbye to several underperforming stars, including Aaron Ramsey and Federico Bernardeschi. Allegri sees the Milan midfielder as an upgrade on both abovementioned players and has instructed Fabio Paratici to get the deal over the line, per Calciomercato.
Calhanoglu has scripted quite a renaissance under Stefano Pioli, going from an unsettled scapegoat into one of the most highly-rated playmakers in Serie A. He tallied nine goals and 12 assists across all competitions in 2020/21, playing a pivotal role in helping Milan secure a long-awaited Champions League return.
Despite Calhanoglu’s notable upturn in form, the Rossoneri are unwilling to budge on their wage policy and would rather accept letting the midfielder leave for free than allowing him to blackmail the club. Maldini has started to prepare Milan for life after the Turk as he’s already initiated negotiations with Udinese over sought-after Rodrigo De Paul.