Former Man United target on transfer hunt again just months after Premier League exit

Pervis Estupinan could find himself back on the transfer hunt again just months after leaving Brighton for AC Milan.

The Ecuadorian international defender signed a five-year contract upon completing a deal worth £17million including add-ons, in July.

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The 27-year-old’s move came after Manchester United held talks with Estupinan’s camp over a summer swoop for the left-back.

However, according to Italian outlet La Gazzetta dello Sport, his underwhelming performances have put his Milan future in doubt.

European football expert Andy Brassell told talkSPORT.com: “He hasn’t been hugely impressive.

“There’s been a doubt about him since a few games in, really.

“Max Allegri and his staff have been thinking, ‘Yeah, maybe the club’s made a bit of a mistake here.’ It feels like that.”

Estupinan’s future at Milan already in doubt

Estupinan made 104 appearances for Brighton across three seasons and helped the Seagulls qualify for the Europa League in 2023.

Yet he’s made just Serie A starts this campaign, and has been an unused substitute in three of Milan’s last five league matches.

Despite playing in a more attacking left-sided role, Estupinan hasn’t yet scored for his new club, and has just one assist – the same number of red cards he has received in red and black.

“It doesn’t feel as if he’s been trusted,” Brassell added. “But in the last couple of months, what’s really made the difference is Davide Bartesaghi.

Rise of Bartesaghi

Brassell explained to talkSPORT.com: “Bartesaghi’s still a teenager. He’s been enormously impressive. Really, really good.

“It’s tempting to say, although I don’t know if he’s been here at Milan long enough for us to really be able to say this, it’s tempting to say that Estupinan has been Sylvinho-ed by his Ashley Cole in Bartesaghi.

“Sometimes there’s a guy who just comes up from the ranks who, it turns out, is way better than you.

“And I wonder if that has happened with Estupinan. And it would be a shame because it was a big move for Estupinan to a very prestigious club.

“For Milan, it’s awkward because they paid a lot of money for him.

“If Real Madrid wanted to sell Dean Huijsen tomorrow, there would be a market in the Premier League.

“For Estupinan, I’m not convinced they’d get their money back. Or I’m not convinced they’d get all of it back.

“I’m sure they’d sell him to some Premier League team, but they’d probably be taking a 30-40 per cent cut on what they paid for him, having taken a while to piece a big deal together.

“And I guess if you asked a lot of match-going Milan fans, that would probably be the issue they have with the club at the moment.

They’ve got a good coach in Max Allegri, but the transfer policy, which has, of course, been a hostage of fortune to the fact that there’s been a bit of musical chairs upstairs, you look at some of the transfer business, and you can’t really see the logic in some of it.”

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Milan shouldn’t be shopping in the Premier League

“Particularly for a club in Milan’s position, which has generally done quite sensible transfers, I would take Christian Pulisic out of what I’m about to say because he’s been very influential.

“But really, a club of Milan’s relatively modest means compared to the name of the club means they shouldn’t be habitually shopping in the Premier League.

“They shouldn’t be going to Brighton, who get good prices for everyone, really, and buying Estupinan.

“They probably shouldn’t be going to Chelsea and buying Nkunku. Even if Chelsea took a loss there, Milan paid upwards of 38 million euros. That’s a lot of money.”

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talkSPORT understands that Fenerbahce are interested in signing Nkunku, who has just four goals in 14 Serie A games, in January.

However, the 28-year-old is believed to want to stay at AC Milan, despite his struggles since arriving from Stamford Bridge.

“When Igli Tare, the sporting director, said, ‘Oh, we believe in him, and we want him to succeed,’ what he kind of meant is we can’t afford for him to fail,” Brassell continued.

“So they kind of have to stick with him a little bit.

“Now, with Estupinan, because you’ve got someone in his position who’s so good and promises to be a future star for Milan over the next decade, maybe it’s a little bit more undeniable, but it’s a real shame for Estupinan.”