Milan market, Rafael Leao’s future is no longer Rossoneri
In just over a month Rafael Leao will be 27 years old. Seven seasons at AC Milan, a move to France and beginnings in Portugal (left amid controversy over a lengthy legal affair that cost millions) tell of a player now mature, on and off the field. Already in his path are a Scudetto, a Champions League semifinal, and the birth of twin sons, which arrived over a year and a half ago. Precisely because of this, however, patience seems to be over at AC Milan.
The club no longer wants to wait for Rafa’s erratic talent to turn into continuity and reliability. According to Gazzetta dello Sport, the problem is no longer alternating between a good game and a bad one, but a series of opaque performances, aggravated by a scoring fast that has lasted more than two months. In Verona he had made his mark with the assist for Rabiot, but then came the anonymous performance against Juventus (complete with whistles when he was substituted) and another insufficiency against Sassuolo, also conditioned by the missed chance in front of the goalkeeper.
Hitherto Massimiliano Allegri had always publicly defended Leao, considering him the liveliest man in the Rossoneri attack anyway. This time, however, the Portuguese is really risking his place. Tactical tests will only begin today, but the feeling is that the measure is full. More than the errors under goal, the attitude weighs: Milan is being challenged above all for a lack of competitive intensity. No one demands from Rafa a defensive outside job, but at this moment of the season more spirit of sacrifice would be needed, and he too many times did not give signals as a team man.
Even the change of role is no longer enough as an explanation. As a center forward Leao still scored nine goals, but as of May he has yet to reach double figures for the season. And even when he has returned to play in his preferred area on the left flank, he has appeared restrained, not very incisive, too prone to playing backwards and rarely devastating in open spaces. This is what the San Siro crowd does not forgive him: the mistake can be accepted, the feeling of playing without intensity much less.
The future remains wide open. Despite a contract valid until 2028 and a seven million net salary per season, Milan will listen to any offers and may even favor a transfer. The 170 million rescission clause now appears out of the market: today valuations around 50-60 million seem far more realistic. After the season, Leao will be engaged with Portugal at the World Cup in the United States, a possible chance to relaunch himself. Even in the national team, however, performance has been mixed: just 23 out of 47 starting appearances and only five goals overall, the last of which was in November 2024.
