AC Milan’s opening bid for Lazio defender Mario Gila has been rejected, with the Rome-based club insisting on a fee of at least €30 million.
The Spanish centre-back has emerged as a priority target for the Rossoneri as they look to strengthen their defence under manager Ruben Amorim. However, negotiations have hit an early obstacle after Lazio dismissed the initial proposal, leaving the two clubs approximately €5 million apart in their valuations.
Contract Situation and Player Stance
Gila is contracted to Lazio until 2027 but has informed the club that he does not plan to sign an extension, effectively forcing a sale this summer to maximise his value. This development has alerted several Serie A sides, with Milan moving quickest to secure the player’s approval.
The Rossoneri have reportedly reached a broad agreement with Gila regarding personal terms, putting them ahead of competitors including Napoli and Atalanta, who had previously registered interest in the defender. This breakthrough suggests the player favours a move to Milan, though the transfer cannot proceed without Lazio accepting an appropriate bid.
The Real Madrid Factor
A significant factor driving Lazio’s firm financial stance is their obligation to Real Madrid. The Italian side must pay 50 per cent of any transfer fee to the Spanish giants as part of the original deal that brought Gila to Rome.
This sell-on clause severely limits Lazio’s negotiating flexibility. If they accept a reduced fee, they would retain only half of the diminished amount. Consequently, the €30 million valuation represents the minimum required to make the transaction viable from their perspective, rather than an attempt to extract a premium from Milan.
What Happens Next
Milan had hoped to complete the signing at the start of this week as they build their squad for the upcoming campaign. The club recently secured forward Gonçalo Ramos and view Gila as the next piece of Amorim’s defensive puzzle.
With the framework of a deal already established regarding personal terms and Lazio willing to sanction a departure, the focus now shifts entirely to financial negotiations. Milan must increase their offer to meet the €30 million threshold if they wish to secure the defender’s services.
Further discussions between the clubs are anticipated in the coming hours as both sides look to resolve the remaining gap and conclude the transfer.