AC Milan have terminated the contract of Ismael Bennacer, bringing an end to the Algerian midfielder's seven-year association with the Rossoneri and paving the way for a move to Al-Gharafa SC in the Qatar Stars League. The agreement was reached this week, with the 28-year-old now free to negotiate terms with the Doha-based club as a free agent.
Bennacer arrived at San Siro from Empoli in August 2019 for a fee in the region of €16 million, quickly establishing himself as a dynamic presence in midfield. Over the following seasons, he made 178 competitive appearances across Serie A, Champions League, Coppa Italia and Europa League, scoring six goals and providing 12 assists. His energetic box-to-box style and sharp reading of the game made him a favourite among the Milan supporters.
The Algeria international played a crucial role in Milan's Scudetto triumph in 2021-22 under Stefano Pioli, featuring 31 times in Serie A that season as the Rossoneri clinched their first league title in 11 years. His partnership with Sandro Tonali and Franck Kessie in midfield provided the platform for Milan's success that campaign.
However, Bennacer's trajectory at the club was derailed by a serious knee injury sustained towards the end of the 2022-23 season. The setback required extensive rehabilitation and he found his path back to the first team blocked by the emergence of younger midfielders and renewed competition for places. He did not feature for Milan at all during the 2024-25 campaign, spending the season on loan at Marseille in Ligue 1 and subsequently at Dinamo Zagreb.
According to Gianluca Di Marzio, the Algerian has now terminated his contract, which had been due to run until June 2027. The move to Al-Gharafa, who play in the Qatar Stars League, represents a fresh start for a player whose Milan career promised so much after that title-winning campaign but was ultimately undermined by injury.
Bennacer, capped more than 40 times by Algeria and a winner of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, leaves with the gratitude of the Milan hierarchy for his contribution during the club's recent resurgence. His departure continues a period of transition in the Rossoneri midfield as the club looks to build a younger, more athletic unit for the seasons ahead.
Sources
- Football Italia: https://football-italia.net/milan-cut-ties-forgotten-midfielder-bennacer/
