The France international is a key player for the Rossoneri and they won't let him go lightly
(Image credit: Getty)
AC Milan are sweating over the threat of a big bid from Chelsea in January for goalkeeper Mike Maignan, say reports in Italy.
The France international is one of the key men in Stefano Pioli’s squad and helped the Rossoneri win the Serie A title in 2021/22 before reaching the Champions League semi-finals last season.
But with talks over a contract renewal to his current deal to 2026 still ongoing, the goalkeeper is attracting interest from overseas.
Pochettino has had a difficult start to life as Chelsea boss (Image credit: Getty Images)
That is according to Calciomercatoweb, who report that Chelsea are considering a big-money bid for Maignan in January.
The Stamford Bridge club are said to be unconvinced by Robert Sanchez, who was brought in from Brighton over the summer.
Maignan won the Scudetto with Milan in 2021/22 (Image credit: Getty)
Maignan would be an eye-catching signing after establishing a reputation as one of Europe’s top keepers in recent seasons.
The 28-year-old won the Ligue 1 title with Lille before joining Milan in the summer of 2021, and followed that up with a Scudetto in his first year in Italy.
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He has kept five clean sheets in eight appearances this season, including two in the Champions League against Newcastle and Borussia Dortmund.
Maignan has succeeded former France captain Hugo Lloris since the former Spurs man retired after the 2022 World Cup, starting in all but one of Les Bleus’ games since then.
The Frenchman is valued at €45 million (£39m) by Transfermarkt.
And Blues manager Mauricio Pochettino has revealed that the west London club have "already started to work" on January signings.
Bringing in a striker is understood to be a priority and Napoli's Victor Osimhen is one potential target, with the Nigerian's future in Italy up in the air after he was bizarrely mocked by his own club on social media recently.
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Alasdair Mackenzie is a freelance journalist based in Rome, and a FourFourTwo contributor since 2015. When not pulling on the FFT shirt, he can be found at Reuters, The Times and the i. An Italophile since growing up on a diet of Football Italia on Channel 4, he now counts himself among thousands of fans sharing a passion for Ross County and Lazio.
