Bennacer's €17.2m tag drives agency switch as Milan seek wage relief

Ismael Bennacer’s €17.2 million price tag, paid by AC Milan in 2019, re‑emerged as he signed with agency Lian Sports Group to push for a summer exit. The Algeria international remains under contract until June 2027, and both player and club hope a buyer will take his wages off the books.

Milan secured Bennacer from Empoli in 2019 for €17.2 million, but his subsequent spells have been unsettled. A loan to Olympique Marseille in February 2025 failed to become permanent, followed by a September 2025 loan to Dinamo Zagreb that included a €10 million purchase option which the Croatian side did not activate. He also featured for AC Milan in the Supercoppa Italiana semi‑final against Juventus FC in Riyadh on 03 January 2025.

Bennacer suffered a devastating knee injury in May 2023, from which he has struggled to fully recover. The setback curtailed his momentum and limited his impact on the pitch.

Coach Ruben Amorim’s new‑look squad leaves no role for the midfielder, despite his contract running to June 2027. The lack of a role has intensified the push for a permanent departure.

According to transfer analyst Fabrizio Romano and MilanNews, Bennacer took matters into his own hands by joining Lian Sports Group. Both the player and AC Milan are now seeking a club willing to meet a transfer fee and relieve his wage burden.

His loan to Dinamo Zagreb arrived after other markets had already closed, highlighting the difficulty of finding suitors for high‑wage players outside the primary transfer windows. Bennacer’s case underscores the broader challenge clubs face when trying to offload costly contracts.