Gerry Cardinale wants to speed up talks over a new deal for Christian Pulisic, with a meeting between the Milan owner and the American's entourage set for the middle of next week, according to Calciomercato.com.
The renewal has dragged for a year, and Milan are keen to end the back-and-forth before it becomes a distraction around a player they see as central to the project.
Cardinale is expected to sit down with Pulisic's camp, including his father and agent, in the coming days. The club will trigger the option that extends his current deal to 2028, but the plan goes further than that: the owner intends to table a financial proposal for a contract running until 2031.
The hope on Milan's side is that the meeting produces the green light to begin drawing up the paperwork. As Calciomercato.com frame it, Milan want Pulisic at the centre of what they are building, and the decision now sits with him.
Off the pitch, the timing lines up with his return to action. Pulisic came back to Italy on August 2 and initially trained alone at Milanello while the squad was on tour in Asia, having picked up an injury at the World Cup. He is now fit again and in line for his season debut against Juventus in Turin this evening, where Calciomercato.com expect him to come off the bench in the second half as he chases his first goals of the campaign.
That debut comes with Milan looking to make it three wins from three after victories in the opening two rounds. The bigger contest, at least for the long term, is the one being settled away from the pitch.
Tying down Pulisic to 2031 would remove any doubt over the future of one of Milan's most productive attackers, and put the renewal saga to bed for good. From here, it is Pulisic's call.