Mehdi Benatia emerges as leading candidate for vacant AC Milan sporting director role

Mehdi Benatia has emerged as the leading candidate to become AC Milan’s new sporting director, according to Italian website Calciomercato.

The former Olympique de Marseille sporting director is being considered for a position that has remained vacant since last summer. Benatia is now reported to be the strongest contender for the role as Milan continue to seek a successor.

Milan owner Gerry Cardinale decided at the end of last season to dismiss sporting director Igli Tare, as well as first-team manager Massimiliano Allegri.

The club subsequently went through the entire summer without a sporting director. Transfer business was instead conducted through an agreement between Cardinale and head coach Ruben Amorim.

Milan had previously been close to appointing Markus Krosche, the sporting director of German club Eintracht Frankfurt, but the proposed agreement was not completed.

Benatia retired from professional football in December 2021 after a 15-year career. He then moved into work with a players’ agency before entering sporting administration.

The former Morocco international captained his country at the 2018 World Cup.

During his playing career, Benatia represented Olympique de Marseille, Tours, Lorient, Clermont, Udinese, Roma, Bayern Munich, Juventus, Al-Duhail and Fatih Karagumruk.