The media are whipping fans into a frenzy about contract renewals, particularly those of certain players. The club seem to be taking their time, as in a typical season, they would have wanted to sort these deals out by now. However, this is not a typical season. Not just because of empty stadiums and the condensed schedule due to COVID-19, but also because Milan are looking like they might actually be successful at qualifying to return to the Champions League after all of these years. Which brings with it a lot of cash. My unpopular opinion is that Milan are intentionally delaying renewals until we are closer to that qualification, because that qualification impacts how many and which players they can renew, as well as the salaries they can pay them.
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| Milan's two highest paid players are still up in the air for next year |
As successful as Milan have been on the pitch, especially this past year, Gazidis has been the opposite of successful at Financial Fair Play (FFP.) This system, created and enforced by UEFA, is currently based on the "break even" concept, that clubs can only spend as much as they bring in. FFP saw us give up our Europa League spot last year due to previous management's poor handling of the budget. However, under this new management, the finances have been horrifyingly worse than ever. Looking at a three year review of finances coming up this October, Milan were €340 million in the red as of last summer, two years into that plan.
The good news is that UEFA, due to the incredibly devastating financial issues caused by COVID-19, is looking to scrap their current FFP policies. They are currently in talks to create a new system that addresses the excessive revenue crises caused by this global pandemic. The rules will not be any less stringent, they will just be a departure from the break even policy. The plan will not be in place until the end of this calendar year at the earliest. This is great news for Milan, because it means that we have a chance of not having to pay the price of Gazidis' incredible spending problem with another European ban and/or massive fines.
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| It's in our DNA, but can we make it back next year? |
That said, it is simply a matter of time before we know if we have mathematically qualified for a top four finish. The bare minimum Milan would get for qualifying is at least €15 million from UEFA. At each win or draw, and at each portion of the competition, millions more are added to that sum. Then there are the TV rights moneys, which are fairly high in Italy. It is likely that just for playing through the group stage, Milan could receive up to €50 million. Continuing on in the competition adds exponentially more with each stage. Additionally, some of the players who are waiting to renew may not want to stay at Milan if we fail to qualify for Champions League again this year.
This is why I believe that Milan may be waiting to see if we are guaranteed Champions League before deciding anyone's contracts. For a list of the players whose loans or contracts are up at the end of this season, check out the poll from yesterday. There is a lot yet to be decided, but whether or not we purchase or extend the contracts of some of our best players may depend on how we will finish this season. Milan management may be planning on a lot of renewals, but waiting for a guarantee of Champions League. That's just my unpopular opinion.
This post inspired by the music of Savages' "The Answer"
Reviewed by Elaine
on
11:51 PM
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