After six years of very highs and some lows, Theo Hernández (28 years old) left AC Milan. It was time. The relationship between the left-hander and the Lombard management had become critical. The latter, disappointed with the Frenchman’s latest performances and his behavior, wanted to get rid of him at all costs. She also saw this end of contract arriving in 2026 and the specter of a free departure. Pushed towards the exit, the former Madrilenian ended up accepting the challenge proposed by Al-Hilal, in return for a transfer fee of around €30 million.
“My decision to leave was not easy. I always knew where I wanted to be, and Milan has always been my priority. Unfortunately, not everything depends on one person. The direction the club has taken and some recent decisions do not reflect the values or ambition that brought me here. It’s time to close one chapter and start another, different, but just as important for me. I leave with my head held high”remembered the player during his farewell to the supporters last July. The pill had difficulty passing, it is clearly still not swallowed.
«Apart from Ibra, the lack of Milanese spirit is glaring»
« My priority was to stay », he maintains in La Gazzetta dello Sport this Saturday, not hesitating to maintain his criticism of management. “ It’s the truth. When I arrived, there was Massara, Boban and Maldini, my idol. Ibra is a very high level player, but after the departure of Paolo (Maldini), everything changed for the worse “, he begins before continuing. “ I deserved better treatment. I didn’t expect it. Some teammates pushed me to stay, but when a manager calls you and says “if you stay here, we’ll kick you from the team”, what do you want to do? »
In this daily interview with the famous pink pages, he believes that the Lombard club has lost its identity after the departures of certain managers in recent years. “ I felt lost. Last year, Calabria and I arrived at Milanello wearing a Paolo (Maldini) jersey, and not everyone liked it. They also tore down a flag for no reason. Apart from Ibra, the lack of Milanese spirit is glaring », tackles the French international (41 caps, two goals). He also explains having served as a scapegoat when the results were not there, denying strained relations with Paulo Fonseca.
Theo Hernández denies having bad relations with Fonseca and Conceição
There was notably the episode of the refreshment break in September 2024 with Rafael Leão where the two men stood aside from the group so as not to listen to the instructions of the Portuguese coach. “ There were lots of stories about this. Leão and I had just arrived and we stayed. They said we didn’t have a good relationship with the coaches, but that wasn’t true. I also got along very well with Conceição. He was authoritarian, but people talked nonsense », retorts Theo Hernández, especially resentful towards the Rossoneri management.
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