Frustration for Milan as Maignan and Rabiot extend holidays ahead of Serie A kick-off
Quick summary
AC Milan are reportedly frustrated as goalkeeper Mike Maignan and midfielder Adrien Rabiot have extended their holidays and not returned on time ahead of the new Serie A season.
Full article
Attributed to original sourceThere is growing frustration in Milan circles as key players Mike Maignan and Adrien Rabiot have decided to extend their holidays until a week before the start of the 2026-27 Serie A season according to reports from various outlets in Italy.
Milan pair Maignan and Rabiot will return a week before Serie A season starts There is less than a fortnight to go until the start of the 2026-27 season. Milan have a new head coach in Ruben Amorim heading into the new campaign, but his first-team squad is far from settled with their season opener against Torino fast approaching.
The Rossoneri need to move several first-team players on if they are to provide Amorim with any new additions, and it remains to be seen whether or not Rafael Leao will still be with the club by the end of the transfer window.
Frustratingly for Amorim, his captain Maignan and one of his most experienced midfielders in Rabiot have not yet returned from their extended holidays after their involvement in the latter stages of the 2026 World Cup.
The French duo had been due to return on August 14, but have now decided to extend their breaks until August 16, exactly one week before Milan’s first Serie A game of the season against Torino.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – JULY 04: Adrien Rabiot #14 of France arrives at the stadium before the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 match between Paraguay and France at Philadelphia Stadium on July 04, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images) Some Rossoneri supporters have become frustrated by this decision, especially given that Inter pair Lauutaro Martinez and John Stones, who were also involved in the latter stages of the World Cup, have already returned to first-team training under Cristian Chivu.
Rabiot had made it clear during the World Cup that he will return to Milan , meet with Amorim and that he will look to ‘go again’ in 2026-27, but the situation is less clear for Maignan, who has sent some indications that he is not best pleased with life in San Siro. The Rossoneri stopper has recently removed all pictures and references to Milan from his social media profiles.
COMO, ITALY – JANUARY 15: Mike Maignan of AC Milan looks on during the Serie A match between Como 1907 and AC Milan at Giuseppe Sinigaglia Stadium on January 15, 2026 in Como, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images) Eyebrows were also raised when Maignan, currently serving as Rossoneri captain, did not attend the funeral of the legendary Franco Baresi last week.
Source attribution: this article content is based on the linked publisher feed/source. Chance adds independent soccer context, impact analysis, entity links, and related news.
What happened
AC Milan are dealing with an internal issue as two key players, goalkeeper Mike Maignan and midfielder Adrien Rabiot, have delayed their return from summer break. The club is said to be frustrated by the extended absence of both players, which comes at a critical time as pre-season preparations ramp up ahead of the Serie A kick-off. The situation raises questions about the players' commitment and could affect their readiness for the opening fixtures. Maignan is a long-serving pillar between the posts, while Rabiot is a recent high-profile signing whose fitness and integration will be closely watched.
Chance analysis
Late returns from holiday can disrupt pre-season conditioning and tactical integration under a new or continuing manager. For Milan, losing preparation time with two starters — particularly a goalkeeper as critical as Maignan and a marquee new midfielder in Rabiot — carries tangible risk for early-season sharpness. The reported club frustration also hints at a possible disciplinary or morale dimension, which could affect team cohesion if not resolved swiftly. From a prediction standpoint, Milan's opening matches carry slightly more uncertainty until both players' match fitness is confirmed.
Milan may face early-season sharpness issues with Maignan and Rabiot potentially under-conditioned, though the impact is likely short-lived if resolved quickly.
Factor potential reduced match readiness for Maignan and Rabiot into predictions for Milan's opening Serie A fixtures; monitor for official fitness updates.