Report: AC Milan strikes €20M deal for Leverkusen's Calhanoglu
AC Milan's summer revolution is showing no signs of slowing down.
The Rossoneri completed a deal Saturday worth around €20 million to recruit Hakan Calhanoglu from Bayer Leverkusen, according to Sky Sport Italia's Gianluca Di Marzio.
The 23-year-old, who is expected to undergo his medical on Monday, will reportedly sign a four-year contract at €2.5 million a year.
Calhanoglu represents Milan's sixth signing of the transfer window, joining Fabio Borini, Andre Silva, Ricardo Rodriguez, Franck Kessie, and Mateo Musacchio.
Ideally placed as the No. 10 behind the strikers, the Turkish international could also play in midfield. Should manager Vincenzo Montella insist on using the same 4-3-3 formation that brought moderate success in Serie A last season, Calhanoglu would start on the left or right of the midfield three.
More importantly, he will give the Italian side a spark of creativity and a defined threat on set pieces. No one in Europe's top five leagues has scored more free-kicks goals (11) than Calhanoglu since the start of the 2013-14 season.
Over the past three years at Leverkusen, Calhanoglu emerged as a dynamic trequartista who can strike from distance, thread key passes, and make tricky runs.
He mustered just six goals and five assists in the Bundesliga last term, but only because FIFA forced him to serve a four-month ban in February for breach of contract.
That ruling stemmed from a 2011 dispute in which he reneged on a deal to join Trabzonspor. During the suspension, Calhanoglu agreed to waive his wages.
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