Milan Eyes Zaniolo as Standoff Continues – Foden Also Targeted
The standoff between Nicolò Zaniolo and Udinese is turning into a summer saga, and Milan are watching it unfold with growing interest.
Udinese believed they had done enough. A new contract on the table, a renewed show of faith, the feeling that a delicate situation had been brought back under control. Then came the hitch: the bonuses. Zaniolo did not like some of the clauses, and the agreement began to fray.
While the rest of the squad reported back and started work for next season, the 27-year-old stayed on holiday. A medical certificate arrived to justify his absence. His boots stayed off the training pitch. The message was clear enough: the issue is far from resolved.
Udinese will make another attempt to patch things up, but there is a limit to how long any club can wait. If the impasse hardens, the Friulani are ready to take the brutal route that changes every negotiation – they will put him on the market.
Milan are already in position.
The Rossoneri are prepared to move with an offer in the region of €15–20 million for Zaniolo if Udinese open the door. His agent, Claudio Vigorelli, has been seen at Milan’s headquarters, a detail that only fuels the sense that this is more than background noise.
Should Zaniolo decide to force his way out, the race will not be limited to one club. Other Serie A sides are expected to join the chase for a player who still carries the aura of untapped potential. Milan, though, have a specific vision: Ruben Amorim wants a left-footed attacker to broaden his attacking options and vary the angles of threat in the final third.
Zaniolo fits that profile. So does a far bigger name.
Phil Foden is also on Milan’s list, an ambitious target whose situation could shift if Manchester City bring in more top-tier forwards. The England international could become available for around €50–60 million, a figure that underlines the gulf between a calculated Serie A gamble and a full-blown marquee move.
Foden’s last campaign was uneven. On paper, 10 goals and 7 assists across 50 matches look solid enough, but his influence waned in the closing months. For a player used to operating at a blistering level under Pep Guardiola, that dip has opened the door to speculation about his long-term role.
Milan are testing those waters while juggling other prospects. At youth level, they are currently behind in two separate pursuits: Borussia Dortmund lead the chase for Konstantinos Karetsas, and Atalanta are ahead in the running for Kerim Alajbegovic. The club’s recruitment department is clearly casting a wide net, from high-end stars to emerging talents.
The real question now is whether Milan turn their careful monitoring into a decisive move – and whether Zaniolo’s contract rebellion, or City’s transfer plans, provide the spark that forces their hand.
