How Much Is AC Milan's Jeremy Menez Worth in the Current Transfer Market?

AC Milan has endured one of their worst seasons since they were relegated twice in the early 1980s.  Their likely 10th-place finish has seen the team lose leads on what seemed like a weekly basis.  Some fans have been left wondering how on Earth their team managed to get as high up the table as they are.

Many credit Jeremy Menez's play for keeping the team close to the top of the table.  The Frenchman arrived in Milan this summer on a free transfer from PSG and immediately made an impact.  He scored three times in his first two games, including an outrageous backheel goal in the teams' 5-4 win against Parma in the second week of the season.

His season overall has seen him compile some impressive counting stats.  He's scored 16 times and added four assists.  According to WhoScored.com he's made 1.4 key passes per match and completed 82.8 percent of his passes.

He's put these numbers up while displaying impressive versatility.  Initially deployed by Filippo Inzaghi as a false nine, Menez moved back to his natural position on the wing once Mattia Destro arrived on loan from Roma and gave the coach a more conventional striker to deploy in his front line.

The numbers Menez has put up are attracting interest from clubs who are looking to upgrade their own front lines.  Several weeks ago, the Liverpool Echo reported on a Tuttosport item that said that Liverpool was interested in his services.  The Reds might need him even more now that talks with Raheem Sterling have shut down amid reports that he is refusing to sign a new deal.

Other reports, like this one from Sky (h/t Football Italia), have linked Menez with former club Monaco, who can offer the Champions League play that Milan and Liverpool cannot next year.

Milan is in need of money, both to balance the books and to fund a major rebuilding project to get the team back to its former glory.  Menez is one of the few truly desirable chips the Rossoneri have to sell, and his stock won't be higher beyond this point.  A sale is something Milan should be seriously considering.

But how much will the Rossoneri get for the winger?

A simple search of the Internet will reveal a quick estimate.  The transfer-tracking website Transfermrkt.com lists his value at €14 million as of the beginning of the last transfer window.  That's a good place to start the discussion.

Historically, Menez has cost a team anywhere between €8 million and €12 million.  But he's never put up the scoring numbers he's seen this year.  This season's 16 is more than any total he accumulated for Monaco, Roma or PSG in three seasons apiece.  Much like a player coming off a good performance in international competition, Menez is likely to be overvalued on the open market.

Maurizio Lagana/Getty Images

Goal numbers tend to inflate transfer numbers for forwards, and after a career-high goal tally, Menez could easily go for between €14 million and €17 million.  What's more, this is the best time for Milan to cash in before that value starts to plummet.

Menez's numbers this year are impressive, but they are window-dressing for a messy shop.  A full half of the goals he's scored this year have been penalties.  He's claimed a brace four times this season, but all four of them involved a spot-kick.

He's also been maddeningly inconsistent.  After thrilling fans with three goals in his first two games, he didn't score again until early November.  He had a further month-long dry spell in February.  That's nearly a third of the season combined when he simply didn't score.

A closer look at Menez's play on the field reveals some problems as well.  As the season wore on, Menez has gotten more and more selfish.  Many a promising Milan counterattack has ended in nothing this year after the Frenchman either dribbled too long before making a pass or simply drove himself into a cul-de-sac.  Sure, he's scored 16 times, but how many more goals would Milan have right now if he hadn't wasted those fantastic positions?

Fortunately for team CEO Adriano Galliani, that magic number 16 will cover a lot of deficiencies.  He can probably rely on a transfer fee of €14 million, perhaps more, especially considering the teams reported to be interested.  Liverpool will likely be looking to replace Sterling, while Monaco know that the biggest thing they need to improve in Champions League play is a more potent attack.

Milan stands to make a good number from selling Menez this year.  Considering the fact that the team got him on a Bosman, the Rossoneri will be making a pretty profit with his sale.  This is the time for the team to sell, before another season wears the sheen of his goalscoring numbers off of the rest of his game.

His value will never be higher.  His fee will likely bottom out at €13 million to €14 million, and they may even get a few million more if the buyer is desperate enough for the attacking help. It's time for Milan to sell.