Liberali snubbed Milan in favour of Como in €6m move
Quick summary
Young forward Mattia Liberali reportedly turned down AC Milan to join Como in a €6 million transfer, choosing regular first-team football over staying at his boyhood club.
Full article
Attributed to original sourceMattia Liberali has snubbed Milan’s attempts to talk him into coming back to San Siro from Catanzaro, so he will join Como for the €6m clause, claim multiple reports.
The midfielder turned 19 in April and is a product of the Rossoneri youth academy.
CAERNARFON, WALES – JUNE 29: Mattia Liberali of Italy celebrates scoring his team’s first goal from the penalty spot during the UEFA European Under-19 Championship 2026 match between Italy and Serbia on June 29, 2026 in Caernarfon, Wales. (Photo by Jess Hornby/Getty Images) Finding his playing time limited, he was sold to Catanzaro a year ago practically for free, with the understanding that they would receive 50 per cent of any future sale fee.
Liberali rejected Milan return for Como CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – JULY 31: Mattia Liberali of AC Milan reacts during a Pre-Season Friendly match between AC Milan and Real Madrid at Soldier Field Stadium on July 31, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images) There is a release clause in his Catanzaro contract worth €6m, but seeing as Milan are owed half that, they could’ve picked him up for just €3m.
However, Como got there first and convinced the player that this was the correct next step in his career after they qualified for the Champions League.
Multiple sources including Sky Sport Italia, Fabrizio Romano, Gazzetta dello Sport and more all confirm that Milan tried desperately to talk Liberali into changing his mind today, including with patron Gerry Cardinale’s personal call.
The teenager was not swayed, and is therefore ready to accept the €6m move to Como within the next 48 hours.
According to MilanNews , the presence of Zlatan Ibrahimovic in the decision-making process had been one of the biggest problems for Liberali last year, and that has not changed.
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What happened
According to reports from Italy, promising young attacker Mattia Liberali has decided against continuing his career at AC Milan, instead opting to join Como for a fee around €6 million. The decision is understood to have been driven by the promise of more consistent playing time at the ambitious Serie A newcomers. Milan had hoped to retain the youth product but were unable to offer assurances of a first-team role. The transfer represents a notable coup for Como, who have been actively investing in young talent since their promotion to Serie A.
Chance analysis
Liberali's departure is a minor loss for Milan's academy pipeline but reflects a broader pattern of talented youngsters leaving elite clubs for guaranteed minutes at ambitious mid-table sides. For Como, acquiring a €6m-rated prospect signals continued investment in their squad-building project under their wealthy ownership. In terms of immediate match impact, this is low — Liberali was not in Milan's first-team plans, so Milan lose depth rather than a starter.
Como strengthen their attacking options with a promising young talent; Milan's youth pipeline loses a prospect with no first-team impact expected.
Milan lose academy depth but no first-team starter; Como gain a promising young attacker for future development.