AC Milan will look to take steps to tie down the futures of three pivotal individuals in Alessio Romagnoli, Mattia De Sciglio and Gianluigi Donnarumma.
The Rossoneri came under pressure this summer, with their prized assets being targeted by clubs from around Europe.
As reported by La Gazzetta dello Sport, Chelsea held an interest in Romagnoli as Antonio Conte looked to bolster his defence, while De Sciglio was linked with a move to rivals Juventus.
Meanwhile, Donnarumma has recently been paired with Real Madrid, and so given the concern of losing players considered pillars of the club’s future, it remains to be seen how quickly the Serie A giants can move.
Milan are set to see a takeover bid completed by a group of Chinese investors by the end of the year, as noted by The Guardian, and so the prospective owners will play a crucial role in setting the agenda and ensuring that the Italian nucleus in the squad is protected.
While the figures have yet to be reported for Romagnoli and De Sciglio, the pair can expect significant wage increases as they continue to develop into key players for Vincenzo Montella.
As for Donnarumma, the report claims that he will see his €160,000 yearly salary rise to €1m at least, although the club could wait until he turns 18 before offering him a better new deal with the regulations allowing for more flexibility.
Although De Sciglio’s progress has been stunted due to injuries and competition for places more recently, the Italian full-back is still seen as a symbol of Milan.
Romagnoli impressed in his first season at the San Siro and is expected to mature into one of the top defenders in Europe, while Donnarumma’s talent has been on display since he broke into the first-team just under a year ago.
If Milan are to make progress and become a force again, then not only will they have to bring in quality reinforcements, but they must be in a position to keep hold of their best talents.