Milan make Xhaka offer but Bayer Leverkusen reject swap proposal | OneFootball

Reports in Italy claim that Milan have made an official offer to Bayer Leverkusen for midfielder Granit Xhaka, but the Bundesliga outfit have reportedly turned down the suggestions of a potential player swap deal with the Rossoneri.

Milan fall short of Bayer Leverkusen’s Xhaka valuation

According to reports from SportMediaset (via Milannews.it), Milan have made an offer of €10m to sign former Arsenal and Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder Xhaka from Bayer Leverkusen.

Friday’s reports claim that the Rossoneri have fallen just short of Leverkusen’s valuation, and that the German side will request a slightly higher fee from the Rossoneri.

LEVERKUSEN, GERMANY – MARCH 11: Granit Xhaka of Bayer 04 Leverkusen reacts at full time during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 Round of 16 second leg match between Bayer 04 Leverkusen and FC Bayern München at BayArena on March 11, 2025 in Leverkusen, Germany. (Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images)

Milan will not, however, be able to offload centre-back Malick Thiaw to Leverkusen, who are not open to the idea of a player exchange deal, as they have their own defensive targets in mind heading into the summer transfer window.

Meanwhile, Massimiliano Allegri’s team are hoping to secure a deal for Luka Modric in the near future and also remain in talks with Valencia for 22-year-old midfielder Javi Guerra.

In terms of outgoings, Milan could potentially offload centre-forward Alvaro Morata sooner than expected.

Alvaro Morata celebrates after scoring the 1-0 goal during the Italian Serie A soccer match between AC Milan and Cagliari Calcio, in San Siro, Italy, 11 January 2025. EPA-EFE/MATTEO BAZZI

The Spain international spent the second half of the 2024-25 season out on loan with Galatasaray and will remain on loan until January 2026 at least. Galatasaray have options to buy in both January and the summer of 2026.

However, recent reports claim that Cesc Fabregas has spoken with Morata, his close friend and former teammate, over a potential move to join Como this summer.