Rafael Leao is always one of the most talked about AC Milan players especially with regards to a potential move, but he has already decided his future.
As La Gazzetta dello Sport (seen below) report this morning, Leao scored a goal and added an assist in the 4-0 rout of Udinese to send a message to Milan, for the present and for the future. Regardless of who will be the sporting director and head coach, he wished to remain.
In the meantime, however, he aims to be a protagonist with his plays to drag the team to victory of the second trophy of 2024-25, the Coppa Italia, and to keep the Rossoneri in Europe next season as well.
Ups and downs
Since wearing the Milan shirt, Leao had never encountered as many difficulties as he did this season. First Paulo Fonseca and then Sergio Conceiçao questioned his centrality in the project, something that hadn’t happened with Pioli on the bench.
Those close to Rafa say that he didn’t like this role, no longer the absolute protagonist, but at the same time the new situation for him forced him to mature. To put himself even more on the line, to find a way to overcome the difficulties, to be decisive even when coming off the bench.
Now the 25-year-old from Almada is certainly a more complete player, stronger mentally, more of a driving force for his teammates who, for example, imitate his surfer-style celebration (both Reijnders and Fofana did it in Udine).
The choice of Conceiçao, who launched the 3-4-3 on Friday, takes away some of his responsibility in the coverage phase. This undoubtedly makes him happy in view of the season finale in which he aims to improve his statistics, but above all to give more victories to his teammates and fans.
Tottenham Hotspur Director of Football, Fabio Paratici
Better on the road
In Udine, Leao scored his seventh goal in the league and the peculiarity is that so far he has not managed to score in Serie A at San Siro. In the league his last goal at the Meazza dates back to the 3-3 against Salernitana on 25 May 2024.
It is too long for a player with such quality, for someone so important to the team. Riding the wave of enthusiasm for the performance at the Bluenergy Stadium he would also like to leave his mark against Atalanta to continue the chase for a place in Europe, and in view of the cup second leg.
Against two teams that are above them in the standings, the Diavolo will play for the remaining chances of experiencing sweet end to a bitter campaign. The No.10 knows very well that he must play an important part, because of his status and for his future.
Choice already made
The moment of choices in view of 2025-26 is in fact approaching. Before the weekend, probably either today or tomorrow, the Giorgio Furlani will meet Igli Tare, currently the strong candidate for the role of sporting director.
It is likely that a single summit will not be enough to reach handshakes and that in the meantime the CEO will also meet other aspirants to the role, who in any case have less chance than the Albanian.
Then the coach will come, with Max Allegri the frontrunner given he knows Milan well, has six Scudetti and many other trophies on his CV and he is someone Tare likes a lot. Either way, the two new figures will have Leao to build around.
The winger’s name has been linked with Barcelona for at least a couple of years, but after the renewal – with a release clause of €175m – no one has ever tried a convincing approach. The most tempting offer came from Saudi Arabia, but the player didn’t take it into consideration because he’s happy.
His messages on social media, even in recent days, confirm this. He sees himself as a Rossoneri player next season too, whoever the coach is. He wants to convince him to give him back an undisputed starting role that he didn’t have in 2024-25.
The same one he intends to keep, with goals and assists, in this final part of the season. He’s already done enough on the bench. His future imagines him on the pitch smiling and surfing after a goal. Maybe at San Siro.
Leave a Reply