Milan made a big announcement on Thursday, revealing that Paulo Fonseca is the new coach of the team. The 51-year-old Portuguese coach signed a contract until June 2027, taking over from Stefano Pioli, who left the club after five seasons. According to journalist Fabrizio Romano, the Portuguese coach signed the deal with the Rossoneri last week.
Fonseca had been with Lille since mid-2022, where he led the team to a fourth-place finish in the French Championship in 2023/24, securing a spot in the Champions League and reaching the quarter-finals of the Conference League.
The agreement with Milan is set to run until June 2026, with the possibility of renewal. Fonseca will initially receive 2.5 million euros (approximately R$ 14.4 million) per season. With the coach now in place, Milan is stepping up its activity in the transfer market. The club has informed Bologna that they will pay the release clause for striker Joshua Zirkzee. Additionally, they are interested in signing winger Viktor Tsygankov from Girona.
Despite being previously linked with Flamengo and Corinthians in 2022, Fonseca chose to prioritize European offers even after being out of work for several months. This decision came after he struggled to find a new club following his departure from Roma in 2021.
Throughout his career, Fonseca has won the Portuguese Super Cup with Porto in 2013/14, the Portuguese Cup with Braga in 2015/16, and seven national titles with Shakhtar Donetsk, including three consecutive Ukrainian championships from 2016/17 to 2018/19.
The coach’s impressive track record has caught the attention of Brazilian giants, sparking interest from clubs in the country. This move to Milan marks a new chapter in Fonseca’s career, and fans will be eager to see how he can lead the team to success in the coming seasons. Stay tuned for more updates on Milan’s latest developments and signings as they prepare for the upcoming campaign.