Paolo Maldini has been sporting director of Milan since 2018, leading the club to its first league title since 2011, as well as back to the Champions League.
But now the icon's time at the club is over. Milan announced on Tuesday that Maldini left with immediate effect on Monday, the day after Zlatan Ibrahimovic was turned down in connection with the season finale.
It is a message that must have surprised the players at the club. One of the biggest stars of the team, Rafael Leao, posted an emoji with a pondering face on Twitter last night. This has been interpreted to mean that Maldini then left the club.
Paolo Maldini is a big profile in Milan. As a player he was raised at the club and from the time he stepped up to the first team in 1984 he belonged to Milan until he ended his career in 2009.