Bennacer Chooses Millions from Qatar
Algerian midfielder terminates Milan contract by mutual consent and becomes a free agent, but instead of returning to Zagreb, a lucrative move to Al-Gharafa awaits.
Algerian midfielder terminates Milan contract by mutual consent and becomes a free agent, but instead of returning to Zagreb, a lucrative move to Al-Gharafa awaits.
Ismael Bennacer (28) is no longer a Milan player. The Italian club officially confirmed on August 7, 2026, that they had mutually terminated the contract with the Algerian midfielder, who spent last season on loan at Dinamo. This removes the key obstacle to his potential return to Zagreb, but all signs point to him continuing his career at Qatari club Al-Gharafa.
"AC Milan confirms the mutual termination of the contract with Ismael Bennacer. The club wishes him all the best in the future," Milan announced. After seven years, Bennacer has finally said goodbye to the club he joined in 2019 from Empoli for €16 million. He made 178 official appearances for the Rossoneri, including 137 in Serie A, and was key to the squad that won the Italian title in the 2021/22 season.
Bennacer is particularly interesting to the Croatian public because he spent last season at Dinamo. The Zagreb club brought him in on loan at the beginning of September 2025 for one year with a €10 million buyout option. The arrival of a player with such a reputation was among the most prominent transfers in Croatian football in recent years.
Bennacer played 19 matches in all competitions in the blue jersey, and his season was also marked by injury problems. Despite this, Dinamo did not give up on him. Club president Zvonimir Boban openly expressed his desire to keep him in June 2026, but not at the €10 million fee.
Boban made it clear in an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport that he was waiting for Bennacer to first resolve his contractual situation with Milan. "We want to keep Ismael Bennacer, but we are waiting for him to resolve his contract with Milan. If he resolves his situation with the Rossoneri, we would be the ideal team for the continuation of his career," Boban said at the time.
The key reason for this strategy lay in Bennacer's wages. Under the agreement with Milan, he was set to receive around €4 million net per year for one more season, so it wasn't feasible for Dinamo to pay the €10 million buyout and take on his terms. Today's termination removed exactly that biggest obstacle, and Bennacer is now a free agent.
Despite the conditions now being in place for a return to Zagreb, it seems that won't happen. Italian media have recently claimed that Bennacer is close to moving to Qatar, where he is expected to sign for Al-Gharafa. Football Italia also mentions the Qatari club as his likely next destination.
Milan Reports reports that Al-Gharafa is actively working on bringing him in, and Bennacer has sent a thank-you message to Milan fans after the contract termination. If the move to Qatar goes through, Dinamo will remain the last European club Bennacer played for before leaving the continent.
