AC Milan director Paolo Maldini has launched a furious attack on the club's owners, Elliott Management.
Maldini has just helped Milan win the Scudetto and return to the Champions League, but he has been left furious with the behaviour of the American hedge fund.
He told La Gazzetta dello Sport: "The 21 players we signed under my tenure came at a net cost, between sales and purchases, of €75m. When I decided to stay after Leonardo left, I had in mind a higher budget, but if I can use ideas and let the club save money, I will. I realised young players need to be given opportunities and make them feel confident even in difficult moments. Many of them see me as a second father.
“What we need now is the club wanting to open up a new era. With a strategic vision, Milan could next season compete with the biggest clubs.
“However, if we were to choose a vision of maintaining our current level, without investment, without an idea worthy of Milan, we would remain in limbo among the top six or seven sides in Italy, hoping to maybe win the Scudetto again and qualify for the Champions League.
“This is the moment that the owners, Elliott or whoever could arrive, need to realise this three-year project is complete and figure out what strategy they want for the future.
“With two or three important signings, and the consolidation of the players we have, we can compete for something bigger in the Champions League."
Maldini also raised Milan chief exec Ivan Gazidis' attempts to hire Ralf Rangnick as coach behind his and Zvonimir Boban's back - with plans to sack title winning coach Stefano Pioli in the process.
He continued, “We were told about talks to sell the club after it appeared in the newspapers. That wasn't a problem, although a few of the players we were talking to about contract extensions said hang on, there might be more money coming in later.
“There is also the issue of my contract and that of (Ricky) Massara. Our deals are running down and we have not signed extensions.
“I must say, considering our journey, what happened and the crisis period involving Rangnick, I find it insulting that the CEO and Elliott representatives did not even sit down to talk to us. Not even to have a talk.
“They could happily say, 'your work wasn't good enough to continue,' or we could say to them, 'we don't like your strategy.'
“I feel like I represent a sort of guarantee for Milan fans. I am not the right person if you want to build a project that isn't aimed at winning. I could never do that.
“The truth is, the owners have never sat down to discuss that with me and that is not good."
