Christian Pulisic has emerged as AC Milan’s on-field leader this season, delivering top performances and restoring high expectations after a disappointing campaign last year. However, the USMNT star could be dealt a major blow, as Premier League giants Chelsea are reportedly targeting one of the Rossoneri’s cornerstone players.
The 2025–26 campaign, despite Milan not playing European soccer, has been a sharp contrast from last season. With Massimiliano Allegri now in charge, the club has lost only one match and is riding a 12-game unbeaten run (eight wins, four draws), but one of the key figures driving that turnaround could soon be on the move.
According to Sky Sports reporter Sacha Tavolieri, Mike Maignan is being targeted by Chelsea. The French goalkeeper was already on the Blues’ radar, but with his contract situation still unresolved, he has once again emerged as a major market opportunity for a Premier League powerhouse in search of an elite keeper.
Maignan’s deal with AC Milan expires at the end of the 2025–26 season, and reports indicate he has no intention of signing a new contract. Under that scenario, Chelsea have sensed an opportunity, either to negotiate a reduced transfer fee in January, or to secure him on a free transfer for next season.
Goalkeeper Mike Maignan of AC Milan.
Thirty-five-year-old Pietro Terracciano and 20-year-old Lorenzo Torriani are currently Milan’s only internal replacements for Maignan. With such limited options, a departure midseason remains unlikely, but with his contract up in June 2026, the Rossoneri must begin planning long-term at the goalkeeper position.
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The Premier League, a long-standing ambition for Maignan
Maignan joined AC Milan from Lille in 2021 for a €16.4 million fee and has since established himself as one of the club’s true stars. Most recently, he became Milan’s hero in the Derby della Madonnina, saving Hakan Çalhanoğlu’s penalty in a 1-0 win over Inter.
Still, as Sky Sports reports, the Premier League has always held strong appeal for the French international. Chelsea attempted to sign him during the 2025 summer transfer window, and with the Blues now positioned among Europe’s top teams, a move to London represents a challenge that aligns with his ambitions.
Maignan has lifted two trophies in a Milan shirt, the 2021–22 Serie A title and the 2024–25 Italian Super Cup. Now sitting second in the Serie A table and preparing to face Lazio in the Coppa Italia Round of 16, he remains a crucial figure for Pulisic and the Rossoneri, meaning that a departure would be a major concern for a club trying to stay firmly inside the title race.
