Ismaël Bennacer has been left out of AC Milan’s pre-season tour of the Asia-Pacific region, signalling a potential end to his time at the club under new manager Massimiliano Allegri.
The 27-year-old Algerian midfielder, who returned from a loan spell at Olympique de Marseille this summer, is notably absent from the list of players selected to face Arsenal, Liverpool, and Perth Glory during Milan’s upcoming friendlies.
His omission is a clear indication that he may no longer be part of Allegri’s long-term plans for the Rossoneri.
The decision appears definitive. Bennacer’s iconic number 4 shirt, which he had worn since arriving at the club in 2019, has been reassigned to newly signed Samuele Ricci.
The young Italian joined Milan from Torino earlier this month in a €23 million deal and is viewed as a cornerstone of the club’s midfield rebuild.
Bennacer’s future now seems uncertain. Despite expressing interest in continuing with Marseille after a mixed but eventful six-month loan stint, negotiations between the French club and Milan have reportedly stalled.
While Olympique de Marseille remain keen to bring him back, no agreement has been reached, and no other club has come forward with a concrete proposal.
The timing of this exclusion could not be more telling.
Milan, under Allegri’s second tenure, are undergoing significant restructuring as they prepare for the 2025–2026 campaign.
Alongside Ricci, the club has secured other key additions such as Serbian defender Strahinja Pavlović, and the focus has shifted toward building a younger, more dynamic squad.
Meanwhile, Bennacer remains at Milanello, training separately and waiting for clarity over his next move.
With the summer transfer window still open, his prolonged absence from the main squad could push both the player and the club to seek a resolution in the coming weeks.
As Milan prepares to embark on its pre-season journey without him, Bennacer’s exclusion speaks volumes — not just about his current status, but about a changing era at San Siro where past mainstays are being moved aside to make room for a new generation.
