According to reports, AC Milan are interested in signing Real Betis left-back Juan Miranda in 2024.
The 23-year-old failed to make the cut at Barcelona, appearing in just four senior squad matches between 2014 and 2021, while a loan spell with Schalke in the 2019-20 season saw him appear in just 12 matches.
Miranda was loaned to Betis for the 2020-21 season, where he quickly established himself as a regular in the Verdiblancos XI, and Barcelona enabled him to join Manuel Pellegrini’s side on a free transfer the following summer.
Since swapping Barcelona for Betis, the left-back has come up with six goals and nine assists in 85 matches for the Verdiblancos in all tournaments and making a memorable contribution to their 2021-22 Copa del Rey triumph.
Miranda started on the bench against Valencia in the final, but he was brought on for Alex Moreno in extra time and scored the cup-winning penalty in the shootout, clinching Betis’ first major honour in 17 years.
After Moreno’s transfer to Aston Villa, Miranda secured the left-back position in Pellegrini’s squad and contributed with three goals and five assists in 31 matches during the previous season, which aided in their progression to the knockout stages of the Europa League.
In the current season, the former Barcelona academy graduate has already started four La Liga matches for Betis and scored twice as part of Spain’s journey to the final of the Under-21 European Championships, where they were defeated by England.
However, Miranda’s contract with Betis is set to expire at the end of the season. Sky Italia reports that Milan is optimistic about acquiring the left-back on a free transfer when his contract expires. While a January transfer is not ruled out entirely, Milan seems reluctant to meet the €6 million (£5.2 million) asking price demanded by Betis and Miranda’s agents.
Miranda would join San Siro to provide backup for Theo Hernandez, who has established himself as one of Europe’s top left-backs since leaving Real Madrid in 2019. However, Milan currently lacks sufficient cover in that position.
Malick Thiaw is another option to fill in as a full-back, but the former Schalke 04 youngster is believed to have attracted the interest of Real Madrid, especially after impressing under Stefano Pioli.
Real Madrid is expected to manage without Eder Militao for the entire season due to his ACL injury, and David Alaba has also faced fitness challenges in the current term.
Nevertheless, it’s worth noting that West Ham United is considered a more likely destination to make an official offer for the German international, who was signed for a modest €8.6 million (£7.5 million) in 2022.
Milan currently leads the Serie A table with 21 points from eight matches and will face a significant clash against Juventus at the San Siro on October 22.
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