Lille’s French international goalkeeper Mike Maignan underwent an AC Milan medical on Tuesday as he prepared to sign for the Serie A club. After the medical Maignan, who helped Lille win the French league title on Sunday, was shown on Italian TV entering AC Milan club’s headquarters.
An official announcement of the transfer was expected “within 48 hours”, according to a source within the club. Italian media reported that Milan will pay Lille 15 million euros (18.4 million dollars) for France’s third-choice goalkeeper and that he will sign a three to five-year deal. Italian international Gianluigi Donnarumma, who started for Milan this season, is at the end of his contract. Milan, who will make their return to the Champions League next season after a seven-year absence, appear to have accelerated their pursuit of Maignan after months of negotiations with Donnarumma’s agent Mino Raiola failed to reach a conclusion.
Talks with Raiola were ‘suspended’ a few weeks ago. The 25-year-old Maignan, who was born in Cayenne in French Guyana, has one French cap and has been selected for the Euros. He came through the youth system at Paris Saint-Germain but never played for the first team. He joined Lille in 2015. He finished this season with 21 clean sheets as the club edged PSG to take the Ligue 1 crown. That title could be followed by an exodus.Coach Christophe Galtier quit on Tuesday and Lille have been hit hard financially by the health crisis and by the failure of Mediapro, the Ligue 1 broadcaster.