Six years, two games and over €50m spent – Milan and the Caldara mystery

AC Milan’s decision to sign Mattia Caldara will go down as one of their worst financial decisions in recent years with the club getting almost nothing in return for their €50m investment. 

As reported by Calciomercato.com, Caldara has become something of an enigma in Italian football in recent years and they even claim he is the highest-paid player ever in terms of money per appearance.

Caldara joined Milan in 2018 for a huge €37.74m from Juventus, in a deal that also saw Gonzalo Higuain arrive and Leonardo Bonucci head back to the Bianconeri.

He has never represented Juventus or Milan in Serie A, playing just twice for the Rossoneri in his time at the club. They came in the Europa League and the Coppa Italia.

He has been earning €2.2m per season at Milan for the past six years, so with the original fee, his wages and the amortization, he has cost the club just over €50m. It works out at around €26m per match he has played for the club.

Caldara has spent time on loan at Atalanta, Venezia and Spezia since he joined Milan but has always returned. He will be out of contract and June and will then be a free agent.

Transfermarkt says he has been injured for 81 matches whilst at Milan, not counting the injuries he has suffered whilst on loan. He recently appeared for the Primavera team.