Mazzara: Lautaro and Barella renewals ‘very bad news’ – pressure on Milan management | OneFootball

The AC Milan ownership must now show their hand after news emerged from across the Navigli that Inter are close to securing two very important contract renewals.

Oaktree Capital moved to seize control of Inter towards the end of last month after their Chinese owners Suning failed to repay an almost €400m loan. The Los Angeles-based fund said on Wednesday that it has ‘assumed ownership’ of the Nerazzurri.

This has led to speculation that a fire sale could follow given that funds usually only take over an asset in order to recover their money, and yet so far there is nothing to suggest that there will be any kind of radical asset stripping.

Not only that, but sources such as Fabrizio Romano are reporting that renewals are close for Lautaro Martinez and Nicolo Barella, two of their most important players. This is all while Milan – who have far superior economic strength – are battling to renew Mike Maignan and Theo Hernandez.

Pietro Mazzara has published his weekly column for MilanNews and he spoke about the indications from Milan’s rivals and why it is now crucial that the ownership show their competence.

“The news of the renewal of Lautaro Martinez and the very close one of Niccolò Barella are two bits of very bad news for Milan, its management and its ownership,” he began.

“There’s no point in beating around the bush, because everyone has been thinking about it for days: if Inter renew Lautaro for 9 million and Barella for 7 million, what will Milan do with Theo Hernandez and Maignan? The question is legitimate and strictly founded.

“The two Frenchmen are top players and want to be treated as such also with the economic profile of their respective contracts. Of course, it takes two to have weddings, but here the management’s desire to start disproving with facts the criticisms that are raining down on them must come into play.

“Here Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s impact on his former team-mates is needed, putting his charisma and charming abilities on the bargaining table for the first time. The time for study is over and now he too must have an impact on the delicate topic of these renewals.”