Milan's options to free Jimenez from Real Madrid shackles [Bonus Article]

Since the Serie A game against Genoa in December, Alex Jimenez hasn’t even come close to featuring for the Futuro side despite their dire situation. As so many fans expected, the Spaniard took his chance and now the Rossoneri are desperate to alter the terms of their agreement with Real Madrid. It might sound difficult given the recent form, but there are ways to do it.

It has been a season of youth for Milan, as was certainly expected when Paulo Fonseca was announced. Francesco Camarda made his debut in the Champions League, as well as his first start in Serie A, while Davide Bartesaghi, Mattia Liberali and Kevin Zeroli got more involved in first-team activities. Perhaps it was just the natural timing for these players, but actually using them is always easier said than done.

On the other hand, the manager made a mistake by not letting Jimenez play more. Although he was a very important player, and we mean very, for the Futuro side at the start of the season, waiting until December made no sense. Especially when you consider that the competition on the right was Emerson Royal and Davide Calabria, and that’s not even where he played the first games in the end (left-back instead).

Some would like to think that a similar discussion should be applied to Liberali, who also made the season debut in that game against Genoa, but I can get behind Fonseca on this one. The youngster, while promising in pre-season, showed even then that he doesn’t yet have the physical attributes to make use of his fantastic technique. He’s still only 17 years old so one more year could do the trick.

In any case, let’s talk more about Jimenez. He was signed on a permanent basis last summer for €5m, following a season-long loan, and Milan agreed to include a buy-back clause in favour of Real Madrid. This clause is worth €9m this summer, i.e. €4m more than the Rossoneri paid, and in the summer of 2026 that will rise to €12m. Now, however, it’s painfully clear that the potential is worth more.

Potential solutions for Milan

Credible sources have reported that Milan will sit down with the Bernabeu side soon to renegotiate the terms of the deal. It certainly makes sense in light of the recent form and while some fans might have a pessimistic outlook, there are actually ways for the Rossoneri to fulfil their wish. Of course, as always, it will require some kind of financial sacrifice and there are a few options to choose from.