Reports in Argentina claim Milan have made an offer to Boca Juniors midfielder Leandro Paredes as they explore a possible deal to bring the former Roma player back to Serie A.
Paredes, who has spent the past 12 months in his native Argentina with Boca Juniors, is understood to have been contacted by Milan in an attempt to persuade him to return to Italy.
The report was made by journalist Arevalo Martin during a liveESPN broadcast. However, no details were provided about the proposed transfer fee, Paredes’ salary or the length of any potential contract.
The 31-year-old midfielder returned to Boca Juniors last summer in a move reported to have cost about €3m. He remains tied to the Argentine club for another two and a half years, with his contract running until the end of the 2028 calendar year.
Paredes began his career with Boca Juniors before moving to Europe, where he spent time with Chievo, Roma, Empoli, Zenit Saint Petersburg, Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus. His previous spell with Roma gave him experience of Italian football and could make a return to Serie A a possibility.
Any move for another midfielder is likely to depend on Milan reducing the size of their current squad during the transfer window.
Calciomercato.com reports that Milan are seeking to move Warren Bondo on before the window closes. Yunus Musah is also not expected to be a key player under Ruben Amorim, while the club are believed to be prepared to consider suitable offers for Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Youssouf Fofana, Ardon Jashari and Samuele Ricci.
Those decisions could determine whether Milan have the financial and squad space to pursue a deal for Paredes, who still has a significant period remaining on his Boca Juniors contract.
Among the midfielders expected to remain at San Siro in September are Luka Modric, Adrien Rabiot and young player Christian Comotto. They are regarded as practically certain to still be part of the squad when the transfer window has closed.
Paredes has spent the last year back in South America after leaving European football, but the reported approach from Milan suggests he could now have the opportunity to return to the continent where he established his reputation.
The reports do not indicate whether Boca Juniors would be willing to sell him, nor whether Paredes has responded to Milan’s proposal. No information has been made public about the financial terms of the offer.
The claims were reported by Peter Young, Senior Reporter with Football Italia.
