AC Milan have completed the signing of Sankhoun Diawara, the 19-year-old centre-back from Ligue 2 side Troyes, for a fee in the region of €3 million.
The left-footed defender had been a target for Scottish Premiership side Rangers, who were prepared to offer him an immediate starting role. But Diawara chose to move to San Siro after Milan accelerated their pursuit and presented a compelling long-term project.
Diawara made 14 appearances in Ligue 2 last season — 12 of them as a starter — totalling 1,048 minutes. He was a key part of the Troyes side that won the Ligue 2 title and secured promotion to the top flight for the 2026-27 campaign.
Initially, Milan's plan was to assign Diawara to Milan Futuro, the club's reserve team under head coach Sergio Navarro, to allow him time to adapt to Italian football. However, after further evaluation by the club's management and head coach Ruben Amorim, the decision was made to integrate him directly into the first-team squad.
The France Under-19 international is viewed as a natural understudy for Serbia international Strahinja Pavlovic. Both are tall, left-footed centre-backs with strong ability on the ball, and Amorim values young defenders who can operate on the left side of his preferred back-three system.
Troyes have reluctantly parted with one of their most promising academy graduates. Diawara had one year remaining on his contract at the Stade de l'Aube, allowing Milan to secure the deal at a relatively modest fee.
The transfer fits Milan's broader recruitment strategy under the current ownership, blending established experience with high-potential young talent. Recent academy graduates such as Davide Bartesaghi have followed a similar pathway into the first-team picture.
Diawara is expected to begin training with the first team immediately and could feature in remaining pre-season friendlies as he adapts to Amorim's tactical demands.
Sources
- La Gazzetta dello Sport — Milan, tutto fatto per Sankhoun Diawara: https://www.gazzetta.it/Calcio/Serie-A/Milan/23-07-2026/milan-tutto-fatto-per-sankhoun-diawara.shtml
- OneFootball / Get Italian Football News — Milan sign Troyes' Sankhoun Diawara, player to join first-team: https://onefootball.com/en/news/milan-sign-troyes-sankhoun-diawara-player-to-join-first-team-43178052
