AC Milan ‘At Peace’ With Potential Exit As Replacement Planning Accelerates

AC Milan are bracing for the possibility that Mike Maignan will leave in 2026, with contract talks yet to find common ground and internal planning for succession already under way.

Reports in Italy suggest the club hierarchy has accepted that a renewal remains uncertain, prompting early evaluation of goalkeeping options and leadership profiles in the squad.

‘Anti-Lookman’ Attitude Lauded Amid Contract Uncertainty

French journalist Valentin Pauluzzi told MilanNews that Maignan’s conduct has remained exemplary despite the impasse. He relayed how a Milan executive described the captain as “the anti-Lookman,” a line intended to underline the goalkeeper’s professionalism during recent months. Pauluzzi added that Milan appear “at peace” with the idea of a departure if terms cannot be aligned, noting Maignan’s influence in the dressing room and the fear that, without him, the team could have “sunk even deeper” last season.

The sentiment captures a delicate balance. Milan appreciate Maignan’s value on the pitch and as a vocal organiser behind a relatively evolving defensive unit. Yet there is a recognition that clarity is required soon, given the captaincy mantle, the wage structure, and the risk profile around a contract running down.

Succession Work Already on the Table

Signals from the market point to Milan scoping profiles who can take the number one shirt and shoulder leadership responsibilities immediately. The logic is straightforward. Spending beyond €30 million on a notional deputy would be illogical if Maignan stays, but hesitation would leave Milan scrambling if he goes. That is why assessments are skewing towards keepers capable of starting from day one and helping stabilise a back line that has oscillated between clean sheets and nervy moments.

Parallel to the goalkeeping audit, Milan continue to recruit on-field leaders. That strand of business aligns with the idea of softening any future exit and ensuring the collective voice in the dressing room is not overly concentrated in one position.

Captaincy, Timing And The Donnarumma Shadow

The club’s recent history colours the debate. Allowing an elite goalkeeper to drift towards free agency invites comparisons with earlier sagas. Maignan’s camp can point to service, status and peak years ahead, while the club must safeguard financial control and succession. The winter checkpoint feels pivotal. If results and performances hold, there is room for another round of talks from a position of strength. If form dips, the landscape shifts, and hard choices arrive.

Site Opinion

This is measured risk management rather than panic. Milan admire Maignan and would prefer renewal on sustainable terms, but the football department cannot be hostage to a single negotiation. Lining up a starter-ready successor and broadening the leadership core is prudent, not pessimistic. If an agreement emerges, Milan are stronger for the contingency work. If it does not, they avoid being rushed into reactive choices.

The key will be communication. Treat Maignan’s status with respect, keep the wage structure coherent, and ensure any transition is framed as evolution, not upheaval. That approach preserves competitive edge now, while protecting the project if the captain ultimately moves on.