Medhi Benatia could quickly find a position of responsibility in European football. A few months after his departure from Olympique de Marseille, the former football director of the Marseille club is announced in the sights of AC Milan, which is seeking to restructure its sports management. The Moroccan leader, who left OM permanently last May after a particularly turbulent season at Canebière, remains open to a new project. Arriving in Marseille as a sports advisor before taking on more responsibilities, the former central defender had nevertheless announced his departure in February, before accepting Frank McCourt’s request to stay until the end of the financial year. Since then, the native of Kortrijk has notably reconverted himself as a consultant for Canal+without drawing a line under his ambitions behind the scenes of football.
Italy could just offer him an opportunity to bounce back at the highest level. Having played for Udinese, AS Roma and Juventus during his playing career, Medhi Benatia knows the Italian championship and its particularities perfectly. According to information from the Spanish journalist Matteo MorettoAC Milan is studying several profiles to take control of its sporting management, without any candidate having really stood out yet. The former Marseille leader would be part of the avenues considered and would be particularly enthusiastic at the idea of ​​returning to an environment that he masters. The Rossoneri have been looking to reorganize themselves since the departure of Igli Tare, dismissed at the end of May by owner Gerry Cardinale, in the wake of a season which saw the club miss qualification for the Champions League. Benatia could also find Adrien Rabiot, whom he brought to Marseille before his transfer to Milan in the summer of 2025. But if his profile pleases, the Moroccan is far from being the only candidate on the Milanese list.
Two new names in the race
According to the Italian press, four other leaders have serious arguments to get the position. The first is Tiago Pinto, today head of football in Bournemouth, England. Former manager of AS Roma, the Portuguese already knows Italian football very well and has experience of the international market, with an extensive network of contacts with the main player agencies including Jorge Mendes. An important asset for a club like AC Milan, which must strengthen its sporting structure and anticipate its future movements in the transfer window. His time at Rome allowed him to familiarize himself with the demands of Serie A, while his current role in the Premier League gives him a further opening into the European market. Tiago Pinto thus presents a particularly interesting profile for Milanese managers, who must identify a manager capable of combining sporting vision, knowledge of the players and mastery of negotiations. Against him, Medhi Benatia can highlight his recent experience in Marseille, his relationships in the industry and his direct knowledge of the Italian championship, even if his managerial career remains less extensive than that of certain competitors.
A third name also attracts attention from Milan, that of Markus Krösche. The manager of the Eintracht Frankfurt sports area was already among the priorities mentioned last summer and maintains a solid reputation on the European market. The German leader is, however, linked to the Bundesliga club by a contract running until 2028, which could complicate a possible operation. In recent weeks, however, several reports from Germany have suggested a possible break between Krösche and Eintracht, suggesting that a departure could become possible in the short term. This separation ultimately did not materialize and his situation therefore remains to be monitored. For AC Milan, his profile represents a leading option, but his availability constitutes a real question mark. Tuttosport adds that Devin Ozek and JosĂ© Boto are also on Cardinale’s shelves. It remains to be seen whether the Lombard club will favor a manager already established in a European structure, such as Tiago Pinto, Devin Ozek, JosĂ© Boto or Markus Krösche, or whether it will rely on the former Moroccan defender to open a new chapter in its sporting organization.
