In the season just ended, Milan loaned 15 of its members to various professional clubs, with mixed success. Two cases promise to be the most complicated, in terms of performance/reward ratio: Divock Origi and Fode Ballo-Touré. Both out of the Milan project, they had found a place in the Premier League on the last available day of the summer transfer window: the center forward at Nottingham Forest, the left back at Fulham. Definitely not a positive experience for both of them, who return to the sender.
The Belgian was used on 22 occasions by Forest, of which only 8 as a starter and two of them in the FA Cup. Tournament, the latter, where the only goal of the season came: against Bristol City, a Championship team. It was February 7, 2024. To understand how badly things went, beyond the already indicative numbers, just think that in the final sprint for the race for salvation, coach Nuno Espirito Santo relegated him to the bench. Two days after the end of the championship and here is the statement from the English club announcing that they would not redeem the player (on whom they had the right set at 5 million) and that he was therefore to be considered a Milan player again. 4 million net annual salary and contract until 2026, this is what keeps Origi anchored to the Rossoneri club. Last summer, offers from Saudi Arabia were declined while in the winter MLS clubs showed up. It’s a shame that the injury of a Forest striker (Wood) led the English club to review their plans and retain the Belgian. The hope now is that these two markets will come back to life, while in these economic conditions a relocation to Italy or to an important European tournament, if not Turkey, is more complicated.
Definitely less heavy salary for Fode Ballo-Touré, settled at around one million euros which therefore makes him easier to relocate. His contract expires in June 2025, in his case the only solution is that of a permanent transfer. Yes, but where? Fulham’s cards were spent badly: 65 minutes in total spread across 6 Premier League games, with the Senegalese player out of the squad since the beginning of March except for the last matchday. Zero starting appearances in the league, two instead in the League Cup against two Championship teams. In short, certainly not the year of relaunch. As in the past, the player’s name is linked to Bologna, who evaluate him as an alternative who can be useful in a year that will see the Bolognese involved in the Champions League. The feeling, for him as for Origi, that even in this transfer window it will be necessary to wait until the last minute.
