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João Félix, Santiago Giménez among new Milan signings on busy transfer deadline day

MILAN (AP) — AC Milan had a busy final day of the transfer window.
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Zlatan Ibrahimovic sits on the AC Milan team bench prior to the start of a Champions League soccer match between Dinamo Zagreb and AC Milan at Maksimir stadium in Zagreb, Croatia, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)

MILAN (AP) — AC Milan had a busy final day of the transfer window.

The Serie A club brought in João Félix, Santiago Giménez, Riccardo Sottil and Warren Bondo on Monday, while letting former captain Davide Calabria leave along with Noah Okafor and Ismaël Bennacer.

It was an extensive overhaul of the Milan squad by new coach Sérgio Conceição, who also signed defender Kyle Walker from Manchester City last month.

All but Giménez and Bondo have arrived on loan. Milan paid Feyenoord a reported 30 million euros ($31 million) plus bonuses for Giménez, who could face his old club next week.

The 21-year-old Bondo, a French midfielder, cost around 10 million euros from Monza. Milan said both Giménez and Bondo have been contracted to the end of June 2029.

Félix was perhaps the standout new signing. The move went down right to the wire with the Portugal international landing in the Italian city less than two hours before the transfer window shut, after Milan agreed on a loan deal with Chelsea.

Félix became the fourth most expensive player of all time when Atletico Madrid triggered the 126 million euros (around $140 million) buyout clause in his contract in 2019 to sign him from Benfica.

He won La Liga with Atletico before falling out with coach Diego Simeone and being sent out for loan spells with Chelsea and Barcelona. He rejoined Chelsea permanently in 2024.

The new signings could make their debuts in Wednesday’s Italian Cup quarterfinal against Roma.

Gimenez praised by Ibrahimovic

Giménez was in the stands at San Siro for the Milan derby on Sunday and the Mexico forward faces a swift return to Rotterdam when Milan visits Feyenoord in the Champions League knockout round playoffs next Wednesday. The home leg is the following week, with the winner earning 11 million euros and a place in the round of 16.

“The choices we have made until now are to improve the squad,” Milan adviser and former Rossoneri striker Zlatan Ibrahimović said.

“(Gimenez is) as strong as Ibra, on another level. We have observed him and we wanted him last July but it wasn’t possible. Now we have made a big investment and he’s with us. He’s motivated and has a lot of desire.”

Giménez scored 65 goals in 105 appearances for Feyenoord since joining from Cruz Azul in 2022. He has six in five games in 2025.

The 23-year-old forward has also netted four times in 32 matches for Mexico.

Giménez will wear the No. 7 shirt, made available after Spain striker Alvaro Morata completed his loan move to Galatasaray.

Calabria leaves AC Milan

Calabria joined Bologna from the Rossoneri on loan until the end of the season. Swiss forward Okafor moved to title-chasing Napoli and Algeria midfielder Ismaël Bennacer left to Marseille, with both signing on loan with the option to make the move permanent.

Calabria had been part of Milan for 18 years, having progressed through the club’s youth team before making his Serie A debut in 2015.

The 28-year-old defender has never played for another team.

Calabria had been Milan captain since 2022, shortly after helping the Rossoneri to the league title.

He lifted the Italian Super Cup trophy in Riyadh last month but was stripped of the captaincy shortly afterwards, with the armband given to goalkeeper Mike Maignan.

Calabria played seven times for Italy but has not featured for the national team since 2022.

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Daniella Matar, The Associated Press