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Mike Maignan’s future has once again ended up in the headlines, with Al-Nassr apparently pondering a move for the goalkeeper. La Gazzetta dello Sport recall Maignan’s turbulent summer so far. There was the disappointing end to last season, a joyless World Cup, failure to attend Franco Baresi’s funeral due to being on vacation on the other side of the world, and now a postponed return to Milanello. Read SempreMilan ad-free and get access to exclusive news. Click here for a free trial! The goalkeeper’s summer has been quite hectic, despite his silence on social media. We start with a premise: it’s no secret that the Milan captain didn’t appreciate the dismissals of Massimiliano Allegri and Igli Tare, as well as goalkeeping coach Claudio Filippi. Time for changes? Milan are without a Champions League spot for the second year in a row. Magic Mike, despite having signed a contract renewal at the end of January, immediately began looking elsewhere. However, the World Cup was on the schedule, with his France team among the favourites. France were eliminated in the semi-finals, which was a disappointment. Now Maignan is thinking about his future: his deal with Milan runs until 2031, with a salary comparable to Rafa Leão’s, around €7m net per year including (easy) bonuses. Who can offer him a better deal? Few in Europe. And in fact, the latest rumour comes from further afield. Specifically, Saudi Arabia, where Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr are looking for a new number one to replace Bento. Would Maignan be open to the Saudi Pro League? It’s not yet known, but his connection with Milan is certainly not what it was a few years ago, despite the captain’s armband. What do Cardinale and Amorim think? They will discuss it on Thursday, in their mercato summit. On the one hand, there’s a desire to keep the situation low-key, as evidenced by the decision to grant Maignan (and by extension Rabiot) four extra days of vacation, as a gesture of peace. Milan are confident that once he returns to Italy the former Lille star will behave like a true professional and continue to honour the shirt (and armband). No one doubts his quality between the posts. On the other hand, however, there’s the awareness that holding on to a champion who is reluctantly involved (and on one of the highest salaries in the squad, to boot) could be counter-productive. That’s why a face-to-face meeting with Maignan will be necessary to clarify their respective points of view. Milan are happy to keep Mike, but the agreement must be mutual. Otherwise, the possibility of a departure will also be explored, assuming offers arrive on Via Aldo Rossi. Who knows, maybe Al Nassr will be the first club to knock on the door.