MN: ‘A less explosive Theo’ – Milan eyeing Club Brugge star after first-hand encounter | OneFootball

With Theo Hernandez’s future seemingly away from San Siro, AC Milan are desperate for a new left-back, and it seems like the Frenchman’s replacement has been identified.

In a season where Theo has often been underwhelming, justifications for a new contract have gotten fewer, and now, Milan are in a difficult place. Unfortunately, sentimentality can no longer cover the situation, and the Rossoneri must be ruthless.

Some have suggested that his time is not done yet, and there is still a very slim chance of an extension, but this does not seem to be the case and an exit seems almost definite at this point, which is to be expected.

This leaves the Diavolo with an equally difficult question: who replaces the Frenchman? Despite his flaws, he has still been a pillar of the team in recent years, and these attributes must be replaced aptly.

A few names have been floated around, but it seems that the club have an infatuation with Belgian defender Maxim De Cuyper – who plays for Club Brugge and has a massively high ceiling.

Milan News recalls the Champions League clash against the Belgian outfit, where Milan were impressed by his performance and qualities – a young defender with bags of potential, able to contribute goals like Theo and also ‘less explosive’ than Theo Hernandez, who was described as an ‘enigma’ earlier this season.

After all, the Rossoneri, as the report states, need a ‘quality player’ and not a ‘quality name’, which is what Theo has become in recent years. Whilst he still has things to improve, he still stands out as a ‘worthy heir’ to the troubled defender.