AC Milan Transfer Targets: Vlahovic, Goretzka and the Future XI for 2026-27

The Champions League crossroads: €60-70m at stake

Before diving into names, context matters. Milan sit third in Serie A on 63 points after 32 matchdays, three clear of Juventus on 60 and five ahead of Como on 58. The cushion is thin and the second half of the season has been dismal: just 21 points from 13 games, a seventh-place pace that has turned a title dream into a scramble for European survival. Qualifying for the 2026-27 Champions League would guarantee the club between €60 million and €70 million in additional revenue: a figure that fundamentally changes the kind of window the board can deliver.

With Champions League football Milan can chase luxury free agents like Goretzka and Lewandowski, pay top-tier wages and retain players who might otherwise look elsewhere. Without it the budget shrinks, the best players reassess their positions and forced sales become inevitable to balance the books. In short: Verona vs Milan on 19 April is not just a football match — it is a balance-sheet vote.

Goretzka: the total midfielder Milan want

The most concrete name on the Rossoneri board's table is Leon Goretzka. The German midfielder, 31 years old as of 6 February, will leave Bayern Munich on a free transfer on 30 June after eight seasons and 304 appearances across all competitions. Bayern officially confirmed his departure on 30 January 2026: no renewal talks, no last-minute twist, just the end of an era that included a Champions League title in 2020 and six Bundesliga crowns.

Milan have already tabled their offer: a three-year deal running until 30 June 2029 worth around €5 million net per season. According to Italian sources it is the richest proposal the player has received. In the 2025-26 campaign Goretzka has made 40 appearances this season (26 in the Bundesliga, 9 in the Champions League, 4 in the DFB-Pokal and 1 in the Supercup) with 3 goals and 3 assists. Allegri wants him as the engine room alongside Rabiot and Modric: a midfield trio of proven international pedigree. Competition, however, is fierce: Juventus, Inter, Napoli, Atletico Madrid, Barcelona and Tottenham are all in the frame. Goretzka already turned down an Atletico offer worth €5 million plus full salary coverage back in January. A final decision is expected within a couple of weeks, once the Champions League qualification picture becomes clearer.

Vlahovic: Juventus waver, Milan make their move

The name that excites Rossoneri fans the most is Dusan Vlahovic. The Serbian striker, 26, has a Juventus contract expiring on 30 June 2026 and renewal talks are at a critical juncture. The sticking point is money: Vlahovic currently earns €12 million per season, a figure Juve consider unsustainable. Their proposal involves halving the fixed element to roughly €6 million with performance-related bonuses on top. His father Milos, who has taken over negotiations after sidelining agent Darko Ristic, has yet to give a definitive answer.

Juventus CEO Damien Comolli has set the official line: «Don't expect any news before the end of the season». Sources in Turin suggest the player's desire to leave has softened compared with earlier months. Milan, however, remain alert: according to Pianeta Milan, the key to funding a potential bid would be the sale of Christopher Nkunku, whose proceeds would free up the wages needed to compete with Juve's offer. A difficult deal, but not impossible — especially if Vlahovic reaches the end of his contract as a free agent.

Lewandowski on a free: temptation or gamble?

The other name circulating heavily is Robert Lewandowski. The Polish striker, 37, is out of contract at Barcelona on 30 June 2026 and the club's official stance appears to be against a renewal. Lewandowski, however, is hardly playing like a man winding down: 17 goals and 3 assists in 40 appearances this season, numbers that have prompted coach Hansi Flick to push the board for a rethink. If he does leave, the Pole would be available on a free transfer — a rare opportunity for a striker of this calibre.

At Milanello the appeal is obvious, but not everyone is convinced. CEO Giorgio Furlani, per Corriere della Sera, does not appear inclined to invest in a striker who will turn 38 on 21 August 2026, despite the positive precedents of over-35 signings like Modric and Giroud. Competition from MLS and Saudi Arabia is real and could offer the Pole far richer packages. Lewandowski remains a tantalising option but is currently the least advanced of Milan's summer leads.

Gila and the defence of the future

While midfield and attack grab the headlines, it is the defence that could see the most meaningful change. The name at the top of sporting director Igli Tare's list is Mario Gila, a 25-year-old Spanish centre-back at Lazio. In the 2025-26 campaign Gila has established himself as one of Serie A's best defenders: 30 appearances this season — 27 in Serie A and 3 in the Coppa Italia — with Lazio keeping 14 clean sheets in the matches he started.

The main obstacle is president Claudio Lotito, who has set a price tag between €25 million and €30 million, further complicated by a 50% sell-on clause held by Real Madrid, the club that developed him. In net terms Lazio would pocket roughly half, but the asking price for the buyer remains steep. Milan are competing for Gila with Inter and Bournemouth: according to Il Messaggero, Lotito would prefer to sell abroad rather than strengthen a direct Serie A rival. A chess match that could drag on well into July.

Who leaves: the sales funding the overhaul

To buy, Milan must sell. The biggest name on the departure list is Rafael Leao: the Portuguese forward, Milan's top scorer this season with 10 goals (9 in Serie A, 1 in the Coppa Italia), is outside Allegri's technical project and Tuttosport reports that the rift between player and manager is now total. The club would accept offers around €50 million, well below the €175 million release clause that is active only during the first two weeks of July. Barcelona have been linked but no structured interest has materialised so far.

Christopher Nkunku's departure is considered certain: the Frenchman, who arrived in August 2025 for €37 million plus €5 million in add-ons from Chelsea, has finished the campaign with 5 goals and 3 assists in 1,104 minutes, never managing to nail down a starting spot. Milan want at least €30 million to avoid a loss on the investment. Niclas Fullkrug is also leaving: the German striker, on loan from West Ham since January with just 16 appearances and 537 minutes on the pitch, will not be redeemed (the option was set at €5 million) and returns to London. Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Santiago Gimenez are likewise earmarked for exits.

The future XI: what Milan could look like in 2026-27

Putting all the pieces together — Allegri's untouchables, the market targets, the planned departures — it is possible to sketch out the 2026-27 Milan. The reference shape remains the 3-5-2 the manager has adopted as his base system, though the squad could also accommodate a 4-3-3 in certain situations. Here is the projected line-up, with potential new signings in bold alongside the confirmed players.

This is, of course, a speculative exercise: Vlahovic could stay at Juventus, Lewandowski could emerge as the striker if the Serb renews, Gila could end up at Inter or Bournemouth. But the blueprint is clear: a squad built around the untouchable spine (Maignan, Gabbia, Pavlovic, Rabiot, Pulisic) with three targeted additions across defence, midfield and attack — all of proven international quality. The budget depends on the Champions League, and the Champions League depends on the pitch. Everything is connected.