Tuttosport: ‘Something is wrong’ – why the ‘real Theo Hernandez’ has gone missing | OneFootball

A lot of AC Milan fans – and probably the head coach Paulo Fonseca – have been asking the same question in recent weeks: where has the real Theo Hernandez gone?

Tuttosport (via MilanNews) are also asking the question this morning, analysing the disappointing season so far of the French full-back who seems like a distant relative of the player who in recent years has been one of Milan’s strongest.

There have been too many ups and downs for the former Real Madrid man, who is not performing at the level we have become accustomed to, except on a few rare occasions. It’s now clear that ‘something is wrong’, as per the paper.

Theo is a player who has little impact and makes a lot of mistakes, which is the polar opposite of what he had become in his previous peak with the Rossoneri. What’s behind his decline? Some blame Paolo Maldini’s sacking in the summer of 2023, while others point the finger at Paulo Fonseca.

There is the accusation that he and Fonseca ‘didn’t click’ because the new coach asks him to push forward less, which obviously goes against both his intuitions and the previous instructions from Stefano Pioli.

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There are also those – like France coach Didier Deschamps – who talk about ‘psychological tiredness’. During the recent break, he said: “This year Theo isn’t at the same level as in the past. All players at a certain point can have a slightly more complicated period, there’s always been physical tiredness, but the thing that’s very difficult to measure is psychological tiredness.”

There are then some off-field situations that are not keeping him calm, just as the issue of the contract renewal is certainly affecting him. The negotiation has been going on for some time, but for the moment an agreement has not yet been found between the parties.

The dialogue will continue in the coming weeks, but it is clear that if an agreement is not found, the summer of 2025 could become a natural crossroads. All parties would be forced into a reflection: sell to raise money, or stay and run the risk of him leaving for free?