Milan, Odogu is only the trailblazer: Cardinale is studying a collaboration with sister club Toulouse
Milan, Odogu was the first deal in an evolving series with Toulouse: here are the possible future deals
Clubs in the same galaxy can deliver huge returns if they're run with vision and common sense. On the pitch and in the books. AC Milan know that well. On 19 August they officially announced the arrival of Diego Moreira from Strasbourg for the staggering fee of €45 million plus €20 million in bonuses. Chelsea had sold the talented Belgian wide player on a permanent deal to sister club Strasbourg in the summer of 2024. He was too raw for such a competitive environment, but ideal for a setting like that of the ambitious French club. Two seasons at a high level sent his valuation soaring, much to the delight of the American consortium BlueCo. Red Bird, who have a direct and excellent relationship with BlueCo, are starting to shape a similar idea, and the loan move of Odogu from AC Milan to Toulouse can be seen as the first step.
Who can take over AC Milan
Toulouse have never strayed from their philosophy: build a young squad with a future through data and international scouting. It's an ambitious model, but it also carries risk in the league table because young players are not expected to deliver everything straight away. Guillhaume Restes, the highly rated goalkeeper born in 2005, had already emerged as a concrete idea for AC Milan when Mike Maignan seemed unwilling to renew the contract that expires in June 2026. The most interesting profile is certainly Alexis Vossah, a midfielder born in France in 2008 to a Togolese family. Scouts from all of Europe's biggest clubs have their eyes on him. It remains to be seen how the two talented Argentine forwards will adapt to European football: Santiago Hidalgo, a forward born in 2005 with an Italian passport who arrived in the summer from Independiente, and Julián Vignolo (born in 2006). AC Milan and their transfer team will monitor them over the course of this season.
Who could go to Toulouse
Odogu is still waiting to make his Ligue 1 debut with Toulouse, while Milan are keeping tabs on him and weighing up possible moves for the future. Guernier, El Hadji Malick Cissé, Maiga-Hamadoun Cissé could fit a pathway from Milan Futuro to the French club. Younger pair Pandolfi and Calvani have what it takes to make the step up. Milan and Toulouse, like Chelsea and Strasbourg, want to boost the technical and economic value of both clubs.
