Milan announced Rade Krunic’s loan switch to Turkish Super Lig powerhouse Fenerbahce via the official website two days ago. According to the Lombard club, the Istanbul juggernauts have an obligation to make the deal permanent if they avoid relegation.
Considering Fenerbahce enjoy a comfortable lead at the top of the standings, that’s a mere formality. Milan should earn around €4.5m, including add-ons, once Ismail Kartal’s men meet the clause in Krunic’s loan agreement.
The 30-year-old had fallen out of favor with Milan boss Stefano Pioli despite a decent start to 2023/24. It was only a matter of time before he would complete his long-anticipated move to Fenerbahce. But Rossoneri passed on an opportunity to earn more from his departure last summer.
With Ismael Bennacer gone for the Africa Cup of Nations and Krunic out of the picture, Milan could find themselves strapped for options in the midfield. There’s still plenty of time for Pioli to fill the void during the January transfer window.
However, Milan have yet to display interest in any midfielder. One potential solution would be to promote Primavera captain Kevin Zeroli to the first team. The prodigious teenager recently made his senior debut for the 19-time Serie A champions.
Forcing Zeroli into senior football at such a young age is a double-edged sword, but it could be the only chance for Milan to address the shortage of numbers. That’s unless they pull off some surprising deal in the next fortnight.
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