Pulisic currently earns €4 million net annually under a deal that expires in June 2027, with Milan holding an option to extend it by a further year until 2028.
La Gazzetta dello Sport reported that the club, under the direction of owner Gerry Cardinale who intends to take a more hands-on role in such matters, will not come close to the €8 million demand — a doubling of his current salary.
The impasse reflects a difficult second half of the season for the 27-year-old United States international. Pulisic carried AC Milan's attack impressively in the autumn, scoring eight goals in 12 league appearances by December, but his output dropped sharply in the New Year as physical problems — reportedly including chronic bursitis — disrupted his rhythm for prolonged stretches of the campaign.
Milan's internal view is that the form of Pulisic's second half does not justify that level of financial commitment. The club's position is that a new coach should first have the opportunity to work with him and restore him to the form that made him such a valuable asset in the opening months of the season.
Talks have been at a standstill for some time. Contract discussions began in earnest during the first half of 2025 but stalled without resolution. Neither side has publicly declared a desire to part ways, though the salary gap is substantial enough to make a departure this summer a realistic outcome.
Across 134 appearances for Milan, Pulisic has scored 42 goals — a significant return that underlines how important he has been to the club in normal circumstances. His 84 caps and 32 goals for the United States make him the standout figure in a squad preparing for a home World Cup.
Whether the prospect of working under a new head coach — with Mauricio Pochettino available after the tournament and already linked to the vacancy — changes the commercial calculus remains to be seen.