There is no "white smoke" in AC Milan's management. And for the Rossoneri club, this is an unexpected setback in the development of their new sports department. Markus Krösche and Timmo Hardung were considered as significant performers in AC Milan's new organization. Both presently work at Eintracht Frankfurt and plan to stay in Germany for the foreseeable future. The discussions had not been finished, but they were deemed fairly advanced: the primary issue was the compensation to be paid to the German club in order to free them from their individual contracts. Eintracht's position was clear: it was both a financial and a timing issue. Losing two key personnel during the current season would have impacted next year's plans. Krösche, in particular, is considered as one of the most influential personalities in German soccer due to his ability to create market value. The manager is under contract until 2028 and has apparently received a renewal offer. AC Milan had been given a technical director position with a substantial wage boost, but it was insufficient to persuade the German club to negotiate. AC Milan owner Gerry Cardinale may still make a final push to reopen the agreement, but the situation is presently deemed deadlocked. As a result, the Rossoneri have already been compelled to reassess their plans. Devin Özek, a 31-year-old German-Turkish manager, is among those under consideration. Özek was a vital player in Bayer Leverkusen's successful 2023-24 season, which included domestic league and cup victories and only one setback in the Europa League final against Atalanta. He most recently served as the sporting director at Fenerbahçe S.K., where he departed at the end of May after the team won the Turkish Super Cup and finished second in the division.