AC Milan aim to match financial power of Premier League clubs as American owner Gerry Cardinale reveals ambition with Serie A giants

Milan's American owner Cardinale has laid bare his grand ambition to elevate the Rossoneri to the financial level of Premier League clubs. In a candid interview on The Varsity podcast, the American investor described managing Milan as “the hardest thing I’ve ever done” but confirmed that the project is beginning to yield results.

Since acquiring the club in 2022 through RedBird Capital & Partners, Cardinale has pushed for a model of reinvestment and sustainability rather than profit-making. “It’s probably the hardest thing I’ve ever done,” he said. “In three years of owning Milan, we’ve been positive in terms of cash flow for the first time in 17 years. And I don’t keep that money for myself, I reinvest it in the team.”

The owner also pointed to Milan’s strong summer transfer window as proof of his commitment. “We spent more than any other Serie A team in the last summer transfer window. We are building a new stadium, not to pocket money, but to transform Milan’s financial profile and bring it up to the level of Premier League teams.”

Cardinale’s message was clear that Milan are not content with being Italy’s biggest traditional powerhouse; they want to be a global economic force capable of competing with the cash-rich English league.

Cardinale underlined that Milan’s ongoing stadium project is central to his long-term financial plan. The proposed new venue will replace the historic but aging San Siro, which Milan currently share with Inter. The move is expected to drastically increase matchday revenue, corporate partnerships, and global visibility.

“The new stadium will transform AC Milan's financial profile and bring it to the level of Premier League clubs,” he said. “Because for us, the real competition is there, in the English league.”

Cardinale’s focus on self-sufficiency echoes his earlier remarks about wanting to innovate like the late Silvio Berlusconi once did. “My PR has gone crazy, but I meant to say that I want to innovate, like he did and like [George] Steinbrenner did with the New York Yankees in their day. But today you can't do it the same way, everything is too expensive, there are billion-dollar funds. We need to find another way.”

The American executive’s approach marks a major cultural shift for Serie A, where clubs often rely on owner funding or player sales rather than sustainable business models. Milan’s steady financial recovery under RedBird is now being viewed as a model for the future.

Cardinale also addressed the financial gap between Serie A and the Premier League, which he described as “the biggest challenge in European football today.” “The Premier League has almost four times the TV revenue of other European leagues, which is a problem,” he explained. “However, in Serie A, the last-placed team can beat the first, it's the most competitive league, but it's not paid for that. Distributors only want the best, which is why the idea of the Super League was created.”

His comments highlight a tension between sporting competitiveness and commercial appeal. Cardinale’s frustration reflects a broader sentiment across European football, that Italy’s domestic product is strong on the pitch but undervalued commercially.

By positioning Milan as the face of Serie A’s modernisation, Cardinale is not only aiming to close the gap with England but also to reshape the league’s global brand. The planned new stadium, coupled with a focus on digital innovation and fan engagement, could make Milan the Italian club to fully modernise its infrastructure in the 21st century.

The Rossoneri have started the Serie A campaign strongly, having lost just one of the 10 matches they have played so far. Milan’s squad, featuring key players like Christian Pulisic, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, and Luka Modric, who all hold the experience of the Premier League, embodies Cardinale’s goal of blending European heritage with international appeal. Off the pitch, plans for the new stadium continue to progress, with hopes to begin construction by 2026.

On the field, Milan will travel to Bergamo on Tuesday night to face an unbeaten Atalanta side in a highly anticipated Serie A clash. Milan are eager to return to winning ways after a frustrating 2-2 draw with Pisa that saw Zachary Athekame rescue a late point. With Massimiliano Allegri’s side unbeaten in their last eight matches and Loftus-Cheek back in contention, the Rossoneri will look to reclaim the Serie A top spot and strengthen their title credentials against a disciplined Atalanta outfit.