Will Rafael Leão stay at the end of the season?
AC Milan forward Rafael Leão has become a leading figure in Serie A in recent seasons.
The 23-year-old was a key figure in the Milan side that won Serie A in the 2021/22 season. In addition, Leão has won a host of individual awards including, Serie A’s Player of the Year Award.
As Leão goes from strength to strength at Milan, interest continues to form in the talented Portuguese star. As a result, Leão’s future is currently unclear. According to sports betting operators listed on app-scommesse.com, he is widely tipped for a move away next summer.
Leão’s Rise
Since joining AC Milan from Lille in 2019, Leão has established himself as a vital player under Rossoneri boss Stefano Pioli. Leão has made nearly 130 appearances for Milan, scored 31 goals and assisted 29.
The Portuguese international has continued to improve this season and is already being likened to some of the greats in the game. Already, he has eight assists and five goals in 11 appearances in all competitions.
Leão’s emergence as part of the Portugal national squad has also grown in the past year. After making his international debut in September 2021, Leão has made 11 appearances and played a part in all of Portugal’s 2022/23 Nations League matches recently.
AC Milan Contract
For Milan, Leão is an important figure who has been part of the club’s consistent improvement in the last three seasons.
When Leão joined in 2019, Milan had finished outside the Serie A top three for the past seven seasons. However, as part of redevelopment under Pioli, Milan has finished in the top three in the last three campaigns, including their title-winning season in 2021/22.
As a result, Rossoneri will want to keep their best players to remain competitive domestically and to compete on the European stage too. Leão is a big part of these ambitions and the club is reportedly looking to strike a new deal with the forward.
At present, Leão’s contract with Milan expires in June 2024 and the Italian club want to fast-track a renewal before the 2022 World Cup in November.
But setbacks have occurred in the negotiations so far. First, the club was reportedly told to only discuss any contract developments with Leão’s family lawyer, Ted Dimvula. This has led to agent, Jorge Mendes, being excluded for the time being.
In addition, Leão reportedly wants Milan to pay a part of his €16.5 million fine owed to Sporting Lisbon. He received a fine for rejecting a contract from the Portuguese club before moving to Lille in 2018.
Premier League Interest
With negotiations between Leão and AC Milan unlikely to make immediate progress due to some complex issues involved, certain Premier League clubs have shown an interest in swooping for the 23-year-old.
Liverpool is reportedly monitoring the contract situation with Milan and the Reds could make a move for Leão in January if no progress is made.
Chelsea is another club that appears to be interested in the 23-year-old. Under Thomas Tuchel, Leão was a leading attacking option at Stamford Bridge and new boss, Graham Potter, is an admirer of the young star.
Paris St Germain, Man United and Man City could also make a move if negotiations fall through before January.
However, nothing certain is expected on Leão’s future immediately due to the complexity of the negotiations involving the player and AC Milan.
Also, Leão is likely to be focused on the upcoming World Cup, which could delay Milan’s chances to seal a deal with the forward. As a result, January could be a key time in deciding the future of Leão and he will not be short on potential moves from the San Siro.