AC Milan want Nicolò Tresoldi now, but Bruges are asking a high price. Bruges do not usually sell in January, but there are exceptions
AC Milan want Nicolò Tresoldi in January. Gerry Cardinale has been clear: at the start of the new year, the club intend to strengthen the squad available to Amorim, with the aim of securing a place in next season’s Champions League, which is necessary for the club’s finances, and going as far as possible in the Europa League and Coppa Italia.
Tresoldi, an Italian-born striker who represents Germany's Under-21s until the next European Championship at that level, scheduled for next June in Albania and Serbia, is a firm target. Signing him won't be easy.
Born in Cagliari in 2004 and developed at Hannover, the striker has admirers across half of Europe, from Arsenal to Bayern Munich and from Barcelona to Roma. Competition is fierce, and persuading him to sign won't be straightforward. Money is another hurdle: Bruges are tough negotiators and rarely offer discounts.
As AC Milan know from De Keteleare (2022) and Jashari (2025), the Blauw en Zwart rarely let their talents go cheaply. They tend to get the price they want, often with easily achievable bonuses. Anyone pursuing Tresoldi faces limited room for manoeuvre in negotiations. Bruges have yet to name a price, but reports suggest the No 9, who has scored 14 times in 17 appearances this season, including cup matches, would cost at least 50 million, at least ten million more than last summer.
Even that fee might not persuade Bruges to sell halfway through the season. The Belgian club rarely let prized players leave mid-season. In January 2025, they turned down Liverpool, who wanted defender Ordonez. Bruges prefer to wait until the summer for two reasons: they have sporting objectives to pursue, and from June onwards they have plenty of time to weigh up the best offer and find a replacement.
Despite those obstacles, AC Milan will try to establish in the coming weeks whether they can sign Tresoldi in January, though they have yet to turn words into action. They invested more than 150 million in the last summer transfer window, and nothing is impossible in football. Recent precedent offers hope, too: Bruges have sold three stars mid-season.
Krépin Diatta went to Monaco in January 2021, Tajon Buchanan to Inter in January 2024, and Andreas Skov Olsen to Wolfsburg in January 2025. All three pushed to leave and dug in their heels to secure a move. Tresoldi has a different stature and importance within the team, but has not pushed to leave and, according to the Belgian press, has no intention of forcing the issue.
For Tresoldi, AC Milan remain the priority, but he won't force Bruges' hand. He owes a great deal to Bruges, who have helped him develop and given him the chance to play in the Champions League and make a name for himself across Europe. When he leaves, he will do so with the club's approval and with all parties happy. For now, every scenario remains possible, even an unlikely purchase in January followed by a loan until June so he can finish the season in Belgium. AC Milan will do everything they can to bring him to Milan and fulfil his dream of playing for them.
2027 could be the most important year of Tresoldi's career. He will change clubs, play in the final stage of the Under-21 European Championship and have to decide whether to represent Germany or Italy. Head coach Mancini is optimistic: "I have spoken to Tresoldi, and Ranieri has spoken to him," he said at a press conference on Monday. "He has to feel that he wants to play for Italy, but as he was born in Italy and his father is in Italy, I think there may be a chance. Then it is up to the lad to choose. He knows he could be important for us."
