Milan Left to Regret as Premier League Clubs Circle Issa Doumbia After Sporting Star's Flying Start

Milan may live to regret letting Issa Doumbia slip through their fingers, with the Italy midfielder now drawing attention from several Premier League clubs following a flying start at Sporting CP.

According to TuttoMercatoWeb, Max Allegri and Igli Tare identified the 22-year-old as the ideal addition to Milan's midfield last April. They were won over by his ability to win the ball back, drive forward and arrive in the box — a rare blend of defensive grit and attacking instinct.

How the Deal Fell Through

The move ultimately came to nothing when both men left the club in the summer. Allegri even attempted to take Doumbia with him to Napoli, but ran out of time to complete the transfer.

Sporting instead pounced, signing the midfielder from Venezia for €20m plus €6m in add-ons. He is now tied down until 2031, with an €80m release clause that becomes active next July — a figure that already looks like it could climb.

'The Octopus' Makes His Mark

Nicknamed 'the Octopus' since his days at AlbinoLeffe, Doumbia scored eight goals and provided six assists as Venezia won promotion to Serie A last season.

He has wasted little time making an impression in Portugal. His first goal for the club sealed a 2-0 Champions League win at Lens on Tuesday, days after he made his first Italy start against Turkiye.

A Costly Regret Looming

Tuttosport warns that Doumbia could end up a far more expensive regret than the €26m Sporting paid, with Premier League sides already watching closely.

For Milan, the sense of a missed opportunity is sharpened by the fact that the men who spotted him — Allegri and Tare — are no longer at the club to fix the problem they once hoped to solve.