AC Milan are planning ahead, and Yasin Ayari has clearly entered the conversation. According to Football Italia , the Brighton midfielder is being tracked as a possible answer to future changes in Ruben Amorim’s midfield, where age, form and contract uncertainty could soon force a reset.

The logic is straightforward. Luka Modric is 41 and into the final year of his deal. Even if he keeps going, Milan are unlikely to keep stretching that situation indefinitely. Ruben Loftus-Cheek has an unclear future, Ardon Jashari has yet to convince fully, and the broader midfield picture may look very different by the end of the 2026-27 campaign.

Ayari fits the profile of a modern midfield target, mobile, technically clean and increasingly influential. Brighton have used him heavily under Fabian Hurzeler and he has responded well. His early-season goal in the 5-0 win over Coventry City underlined that progress, and Italian scouts have clearly taken note long before that.

Reports suggest Milan’s interest goes back to early 2025, when Geoffrey Moncada was still technical director. That matters. Clubs do not keep revisiting the same player unless there is broad internal agreement on his level and his potential.

The reported €40m valuation is substantial, though hardly outrageous in the current market for Premier League-developed midfielders. Ayari is also in the final year of his Brighton contract, due to expire on June 30, 2027, though the club hold an option to extend by another 12 months. That weakens any idea that Brighton are under immediate pressure.

From Milan’s side, this feels like sensible groundwork rather than a deal close to completion. They know midfield succession planning cannot be left until the last minute. From Brighton’s side, this is the cost of developing good players well. If Ayari keeps performing, interest will grow and the number attached to his name will remain high.

As a concerned Brighton supporter, this report is annoying because it follows a familiar pattern. A player develops, starts the season well, and within minutes someone abroad is circling. Ayari has not just filled a shirt, he has looked like a midfielder with authority, composure and the ability to shift games. Brighton should be thinking about building around that, not preparing for the next sales pitch.

The contract detail matters most here. If the club really have an option for another year, then they must use that position properly. There is no reason to act like a selling club in a panic. €40m sounds impressive on paper, but replacing a midfielder who knows the system, is still improving and already contributes in the Premier League is rarely simple. Usually it costs more than expected, takes longer than expected, and weakens the team in the meantime.