Zaniolo reportedly offered to Milan amid Udinese salary dispute
Quick summary
Nicolò Zaniolo is reportedly unhappy at Udinese over a salary dispute and has been offered to AC Milan as a potential transfer target.
Full article
Attributed to original sourceNicolò Zaniolo is refusing to train with Udinese after failing to agree a new contract, so there are reports he was offered to Milan over the last 24 hours.
The Italy international is in a rather odd situation, as he joined Udinese last summer on loan for €2.5m with option to buy for a further €5m, plus Galatasaray getting a 50 per cent cut of the future sale fee.
UDINE, ITALY – NOVEMBER 01: Nicolò Zaniolo of Udinese celebrates scoring his team’s first goal during the Serie A match between Udinese Calcio and Atalanta BC at Stadio Friuli on November 01, 2025 in Udine, Italy. (Photo by Timothy Rogers/Getty Images) However, as it was a rushed job, it was done with the promise to re-evaluate his salary once the campaign was over.
That process is still happening, as Zaniolo has not been able to agree on a wage package with the Friulani.
Zaniolo pushing for Udinese exit UDINE, ITALY – MARCH 14: Nicolò Zaniolo of Udinese makes a run past Lloyd Kelly of Juventus during the Serie A match between Udinese Calcio and Juventus FC at Stadio Friuli on March 14, 2026 in Udine, Italy. (Photo by Timothy Rogers/Getty Images) This week he was expected at pre-season training, but i nstead sent a medical certificate to excuse him from attending , a well-worn technique by players who are trying to force an exit.
Now Milan transfer expert Daniele Longo claims on his YouTube channel that Zaniolo’s entourage offered him to the Rossoneri for a summer swoop.
It remains to be seen if they are interested in a player who did have a good season, but also has a terrible injury record and hasn’t been able to find any consistency in recent years.
Since forcing the exit from Roma in February 2023, he has played for Galatasaray, Aston Villa, Atalanta, Fiorentina and Udinese.
The contract with Udinese technically runs to June 2029, so this could get ugly if a solution is not found soon for the 27-year-old.
He has also been linked with a return to the Stadio Olimpico, this time for Lazio.
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
According to reports, Nicolò Zaniolo is dissatisfied with his current terms at Udinese and is seeking a way out. The Italian forward, who joined Udinese after previous stints at Roma, Galatasaray, and Aston Villa, has been offered to AC Milan as a possible solution to the standoff. The salary dispute is the apparent trigger for the potential transfer, with Milan now considering whether to take up the opportunity. No concrete negotiations or fees have been disclosed in the report.
Chance analysis
Zaniolo's career has stagnated since his early promise at Roma, and a move to Milan could be a reset — though it also reflects the limited market for a player with his wage demands and recent injury/form issues. For Udinese, losing an unhappy player who doesn't fit their salary structure is a manageable outcome, but they will want to recoup a fee. For Milan, acquiring a player in this manner carries risk given Zaniolo's inconsistent output over the past two seasons, but the low acquisition cost could justify a speculative move if the price is right.
Zaniolo's potential departure weakens Udinese's attacking depth and could disrupt team morale; a Milan arrival would add depth but not significantly transform their squad.
Monitor whether Zaniolo remains at Udinese for upcoming Serie A fixtures; an unsettled player may underperform, while a Milan move could strengthen their attacking rotation.