Maldini explains why Milan can't afford a 'top player' and how FFP has 'widened the gap'

AC Milan technical director Paolo Maldini has elaborated on some of the financial restrictions that the club are currently operating under.

It is well known now that Elliott Management – with the help of Maldini, sporting director Ricky Massara and CEO Ivan Gazidis – want to impose a youth-led project that is centred around players with high potential and low wages.

Maldini gave a long interview to So Foot during which he discussed a number of topics including his past with the club, the present and the plans for the future, with his comments transcribed by MilanNews.

There has been a lot of talk about how the former Rossoneri captain has personally convinced certain players to join through meetings and phone calls.

On the idea of a personal approach, Maldini said: “It is true that it is more difficult for us to bring a player today. Economically we ask the players who come to make sacrifices. The players who come here are there because they really want to be there. These are players who gave up many of the salaries they had before coming here. We have to be creative and we can’t fight with other clubs.”

It has also been well documented how Milan are working under strict Financial Fair Play parameters having signed a settlement agreement with UEFA in the aftermath of the reckless Chinese ownership’s 2017 summer transfer campaign.

“I’ve always said it: Financial Fair Play has been good for football because there is less debt, but it has widened the gap between the big clubs and those who want to invest and become competitive. We have a turnover that is about a quarter or a fifth of the winning clubs in Europe. Milan have the same income they had in 2000, just to make you understand, since then the world has gone in a different direction.

“To date, Milan cannot afford to have a top player from a financial point of view. When we have been in the Champions League for four or five years in a row then we will be able to make other financial sacrifices.”