Bennacer leaves Milan for Qatar after contract termination
Quick summary
Ismael Bennacer has departed AC Milan after the club terminated his contract, with the Algerian midfielder flying to Qatar to take up a new role.
Full article
Attributed to original sourceIsmael Bennacer’s time at Milan is finally over after confirmation his contract was terminated, allowing him to fly out to join Al-Gharafa in the Qatar Stars League.
There had already been reports in Italy over the last 48 hours that the agreement had been reached to terminate the contract by mutual consent.
TURIN, ITALY – APRIL 27: Stefano Pioli, Head Coach of AC Milan, speaks with Tijjani Reijnders and Ismael Bennacer of AC Milan during the Serie A TIM match between Juventus and AC Milan at Allianz Stadium on April 27, 2024 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images) It had been due to run until June 2027, but he has not played for the Rossoneri since February 2025.
Now transfer pundit Fabrizio Romano notes the final paperwork has been completed, and he is on his way to Qatar for medical tests.
Bennacer’s career crumbled MILAN, ITALY – JANUARY 11: Ismael Bennacer of AC Milan looks on before the Coppa Italia match between AC Milan and Torino FC at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on January 11, 2023 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images) There were loan experiences with Olympique Marseille and GNK Dinamo Zagreb, but in both situations, the clubs did not take up their options to make it permanent.
The 28-year-old is now ready to sign on as a free agent for Al-Gharafa in Qatar.
It has been a remarkable fall for Bennacer, who had been named Player of the Tournament when winning the Africa Cup of Nations with Algeria in 2019.
He was also in the Milan squad that won the Scudetto in 2022, and the Supercoppa Italiana in 2024-25.
His career collapsed following a serious knee injury in May 2023, and quite simply was never the same player again.
Bennacer played 178 times for Milan, scoring eight goals and providing 12 assists.
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What happened
AC Milan have terminated the contract of Ismael Bennacer, allowing the Algerian international midfielder to leave for free. Bennacer has reportedly already flown to Qatar to sign with a new club. The 27-year-old had struggled for playing time at Milan and was not part of the club's plans. Bennacer previously joined Milan from Empoli in 2019 and won Serie A during the 2021-22 season.
Chance analysis
This move frees up salary space for Milan as they look to reshape their midfield, while Bennacer gets a fresh start in a league known for offering lucrative contracts. From a competitive standpoint, Bennacer's departure has minimal impact on Milan's first-team plans as he was already on the fringes, but it signals the end of a once-promising stint at San Siro. For prediction systems, Bennacer can be removed from any Milan squad depth considerations going forward.
AC Milan lose a fringe midfielder and free up wages; Bennacer moves to a lower-profile league in Qatar.
Remove Bennacer from Milan squad calculations; he is no longer available for selection.