GdS: Club Brugge name price for Tresoldi – why a difficult negotiation beckons for Milan

By: Oliver Fisher

AC Milan have already discovered the starting price for Nicolo Tresoldi, and it’s safe to say it will not be a cheap deal.

According to this morning’s edition of La Gazzetta dello Sport (seen below), it is no secret that Tresoldi sits at the top of the wish list for Milan. Gerry Cardinale, first and foremost, is a big admirer of the rising Brugge star.

It is equally well-known that the striker has been a lifelong fan of the Rossoneri. However, his contract runs until 2029, so to take him away from the Jan Breydel Stadium a negotiation is needed with a club that are tough to deal with, as the past shows.

The phone lines between Milan and Brugge were first used in 2022, when the Charles De Ketelaere saga took place. Since then, the management teams at both Milan and the Belgian club have changed, but the history between the two sides should help facilitate discussions. Ardon Jashari was another arduous negotiation, but one that eventually reached the finish line too.

In the cases of De Ketelaere and Jashari, the pitch has arguably favoured the seller more than the buyer. Perhaps the outcome will be different with Tresoldi, should the two parties actually sit down to negotiate.

One caveat: especially in January, the asking is bound to be significant. How significant? Around €60m, according to whispers from Flanders.

Club Brugge are accustomed to selling their best players when the time comes, but they are under no pressure to do so, especially while the season is still underway. Tresoldi has effectively carried the team on his back, scoring eight goals in the league, five in the Champions League, and one in the Super Cup.

The total: 14 goals in 17 official matches. For the club to part ways with their star striker during the mid-season window – a time when all their competitive objectives remain within reach – the offer would certainly need to be more than substantial.

Furthermore, if the 22-year-old forward maintains his current scoring rate throughout the season, his market value will only continue to climb. It is a risk, but also an opportunity. Moreover, Milan are not alone in the race for Tresoldi.

Bayern Munich and top English clubs are keeping a close eye on the former Hannover man, who was born in Cagliari but is a key player for the German U21 national team. Consequently, if Cardinale wishes to beat the competition, he would need to act quickly and decisively.

He demonstrated he can dothis over the summer with the signings of Gonçalo Ramos, Diego Moreira, and Mario Gila. However, authorising a €60m expenditure would require the right conditions: specifically, Milan must be in the hunt for a major objective.

Tresoldi’s arrival could not see him then become a back-up to Gonçalo Ramos, the most expensive signing in the club’s history. In essence, it requires Ruben Amorim to provide the necessary assurances regarding the wisdom of the acquisition.

Meanwhile, Tresoldi’s hat-trick against Inter at San Siro on October 13th in the Champions League has naturally excited the Rossoneri fans, who would be more than happy to embrace him. However, they aren’t the ones who have to pay the €60m.