Caldara makes first and final appearance for Milan six years after €38m move

Mattia Caldara got to make his first league appearance for AC Milan last night and coincidentally, it was also his last. Indeed, his contract with the Rossoneri will expire at the end of June and it won’t be renewed. 

Caldara joined Milan in a deal worth €38m back in 2018, with Leo Bonucci going the other way, but he suffered several injuries during his first season. Just when it looked like he was back, he tore his ACL and that was the start of the end for his Rossoneri career.

Loan spells with Atalanta, Venezia and Spezia followed by the centre-back never got back to the form he displayed at Atalanta back in the day. This season, he remained at Milan but missed all the action up until February due to an ankle injury, struggling for fitness afterwards.

His contract will expire at the end of June and it has been known for quite some time that Milan won’t renew it. Therefore, during the game against Salernitana last night, Pioli subbed on Caldara after 58 minutes for his first and final league appearance for the club.

It wasn’t a brilliant performance, as you would expect, but at least he got some sort of closure to his Milan tenure. Milan are certainly happy to get him off the balance sheet as he’s been costing the club around €9m gross per season (read our mercato financial breakdown).