Milan Transfer Market: Leao Is Getting on the Giallorossi’s Nerves, Too
Milan’s final week of the transfer window will focus primarily on player sales, with several players now seemingly out of Ruben Amorim’s plans. Among the situations still to be resolved is that of Rafael Leao, one of the players whose departure could bring in a particularly significant sum for the Rossoneri.
At the moment, however, there have been no concrete developments. Galatasaray has not made any new bids, partly because officials in Istanbul are tired of waiting for the Portuguese player’s approval and are starting to get impatient since he shows no signs of agreeing, while Newcastle has reportedly limited itself to expressing preliminary interest without submitting any official offers.
Saudi Arabian clubs also remain keenly interested in the Portuguese player, though a move there does not appear to be part of his plans. Meanwhile, Leao continues his recovery from the injury that forced him to miss the away match in Turin, which ended in a victory for Milan.
On the Premier League front, however, Aston Villa—the reigning Europa League champion and a team set to compete in the Champions League—has added Leao to its list of players to evaluate, alongside Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson. Contacts between the Birmingham club and Milan are reportedly already intense, with the English club exploring the best offer to present to the Rossoneri and agent Jorge Mendes. It remains to be seen whether Aston Villa aligns with the Portuguese player’s ambitions and, above all, whether it is willing to meet the Rossoneri’s financial demands.
Aside from the Leao situation, Amorim has already found a solution within the club in Alphadjo Cissé, the young forward born in 2006 who was named a starter in the victory in Turin and has already made a decisive impact with a goal. It’s no coincidence that the Portuguese coach commented immediately after the friendly against Manchester United, in which Cissé had scored the goal to make it 2-2: “He’ll make life difficult for Rafa Leao.” A statement that, in light of recent events, now sounds like a prophecy.
