AC Milan have confirmed contract renewals for Luka Modric, Francesco Camarda and Christian Comotto inside 24 hours, and owner Gerry Cardinale has spoken about all three, as MilanNews report.
The timing tells you what Milan are trying to build. Modric, at 40, keeps the dressing room anchored for one more year while the academy pair are locked in until 2031, with an option for a further season. One deal is about now, the other two are about a decade from now, and Cardinale wants both stories told at once.
Modric's renewal, confirmed on Thursday, ends the talk of retirement or a move back to Real Madrid in a coaching role. He signed for a second season on a one-year deal.
“I am personally thrilled and grateful to Luka for renewing his faith in the club and in the new project we are undertaking," Cardinale said. "He is a winner and perfectly embodies AC Milan’s values."
The academy renewals arrived on Friday. Camarda, the striker who became Serie A's youngest ever player when he debuted at 15, is currently on loan at Lecce to get the minutes he cannot get at San Siro. Comotto, a midfielder and son of former Fiorentina defender Gianluca Comotto, is the other name Milan see as part of the long-term core. Both are tied down to 2031.
“We will prioritise players who have come through our youth sector, guide them along their development path, and maximise their potential," Cardinale said. "Both represent the very best of AC Milan: our academy and the direction the club intends to take in the future.”
The obvious question is what these contracts are worth, and Milan have not disclosed figures on any of the three. What matters more is the intent. Long deals for teenagers protect the club's asset value, so that if a Camarda or a Comotto does break through, Milan are negotiating from strength rather than watching value walk toward a free transfer.
For a club that has leaned on cheap experience and academy graduates to balance its books, keeping Modric in the room and its two brightest prospects off the market is exactly the shape RedBird want the squad to take.