The Rossoneri are the absolute stars of the current January transfer market, having secured the signings of Soualiho Meïté, Mario Mandzukic and Fikayo Tomori. Nonetheless, Paolo Maldini and Ricky Massara are not planning on taking any vacation, as the two directors are already planning for next season. Reports in Italy claim that Milan are lining up two exciting free agents for next season, while they are also considering buying Douglas Costa from Juventus.
According to Calciomercato.com, the current Serie A leaders are planning to add Olympique Marseille’s Florian Thauvin and Porto’s Otavio to their roster. Both players’ contracts are expiring at the end of the season, and the Diavolo are ready to pounce on the situation.
The report adds that Maldini is a known admirer of Thauvin, and he’s willing to offer the French star a four-year contract worth 2.8 million euros per season. The 28-year-old has participated in 20 Ligue 1 matches this term, scoring 6 goals and providing 7 assists.
As for Otavio, the source claims that negotiations between the Portuguese player and his club for a renewal are yet to start, and the attacking midfielder has a host of admirers lining up for his signature, including Roma and Leicester city.
However, Maldini is hoping to beat the competition by offering the 25-year-old a four-year contract worth 1.5 millions per season.
On another note, Tuttosport (via Calciomercato.it) reports that Milan are also interested in the services of Douglas Costa.
The Brazilian winger is owned by Juventus, but is currently on loan at Bayern Munich. However, the German champions are unlikely to extend the player’s stay beyond the current season, so he is expected to return to the Bianconeri.
Although the source states that a move to the Rossoneri could in theory take shape during this month, this proposition remains unlikely in our view, as an operation involving the three clubs would take some time to fully materialize.
On top of that, Juve definitely wouldn’t want to help their Scudetto challengers in their attempts to strengthen their squad.