AC Milan's Rafael Leao is a very important part of Paulo Fonseca's vision, despite being benched a few games earlier this season as the Portuguese head coach was looking for ways to motivate him and get the best out of him.
His impressive development at the club, along with his rising profile in European football, has sparked significant attention, both from fans and potential suitors across top leagues.
Now, we will explore the ex Lille player's journey at Milan and the latest transfer rumours surrounding the talented forward. Also, you can also visit https://freshbetcasino.com/ for more exciting sports insights and betting opportunities.
Born on June 10, 1999, in Almada, Portugal, Rafael Leão showed immense promise from a young age. His journey in football began in the youth academies of Sporting CP, one of Portugal's most prestigious clubs, where he quickly caught the attention of scouts with his flair, speed, and technical abilities. Leão’s performances in the youth ranks paved the way for his professional debut, and soon he was promoted to Sporting CP's first team.
However, it wasn't long before Leão’s talents attracted the attention of bigger clubs, and in 2018, he made the bold move to France, joining Ligue 1 side LOSC Lille. This move proved to be a crucial step in his career as it was at Lille where Leão truly started to shine. In just two seasons, he showcased his immense potential, netting several crucial goals and providing key assists, which earned him a move to one of Italy’s biggest clubs, AC Milan, in 2019.
The player was followed by AC Milan's Geoffrey Moncada for quite a while. The ex Monaco scout admitted in a recent interview that he saw Leao for the first time when he was 17 years old: "
Yes, I remember seeing him against Belenenses with Lisbon. I think he was 17. He played as a number 10, as a second striker. He was very free, I saw a very interesting profile: tall, slender, technically super. He scored with incredible confidence. He was one to follow. Then obviously many other scouts saw him, I'm certainly not the first to have seen him. But you know, you go to see an U17 game in Portugal and you see a boy like that… You follow him immediately."
Since his arrival to Milan, the player has delivered some important performances, especially against top clubs. Now, this season, he is trying to get back to his usual peak. But so far, he still has managed to contribute with 6 goals and 6 assists after 21 matches across all competitions.
Who is interested in signing Rafael Leao?
The player has always been subject of transfer rumours in these recent years. Mayhaps the most notable interested parties are La Liga sides FC Barcelona and some top Premier League clubs such as Manchester United.
On Rafael Leao's future...
The ex Sporting Lisbon's starlet has a contract with Milan until 2028 and any interested club is unlikely to be willing to pay the release clause amount of 175 million euros. But, perhaps an offer set close to 90 million euros may change the Rossoneri top executives' minds. For now, however, he is at Milan and is focusing on the next matches.
