Gerry Cardinale has made clear to Fikayo Tomori, Youssouf Fofana and Santiago Giménez that if they have not found a new club by 2 September, they will remain outside Milan's plans regardless.
The trio were pushed out of the project shortly before mid-August, when Ruben Amorim, backed by Cardinale, decided the squad could do without them. According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, staying on the payroll changes nothing: there is no path back into the fold even if a move fails to materialise.
Tomori has one year left on his deal, worth €3.5m net per season. Unlike the other two, the centre-back cannot leave on loan unless he renews first, an outcome that looks unlikely at present. Through the Growth Decree, his gross cost to Milan is €4.55m a year, so despite earning more than Fofana and Giménez, his salary sits lighter on the books.
This is the same player Milan came close to selling in January 2025, when they had essentially agreed a Tottenham offer and were open to Juventus. Tomori pushed back hard and won his place back as a regular starter, only to find himself frozen out months later alongside David Odogu, Christopher Nkunku and Fofana.
His options are thin. Aston Villa made an inquiry before backing off, and while Ricky Massara, the man who brought Tomori to Italy, is now running things at Juventus, Gazzetta reports nothing beyond mutual respect for now.
Fofana has drawn interest from the Premier League, with Nottingham Forest, Crystal Palace and, more recently, Brighton all making contact. None have taken it as far as a formal bid. The midfielder has already ruled out a return to France, and his €3m net salary (€5.5m gross) is manageable, but Milan want between €15m and €20m to sell and no serious negotiation has taken hold.
Giménez has been waiting several days for the green light to join Porto, with the sticking point being the fee. Milan turned down an opening €15m loan with an option to buy, and want at least €5m more plus terms that push the option towards an obligation. Porto are stalling, though Gazzetta does not rule out surprises, including the entry of another club.
Six days remain before the window shuts, and Cardinale is hoping a solution lands for all three. From here, the buyers hold the pace, and each of the three exits still needs a club willing to meet Milan's terms before 2 September.