Ever since he landed in Milan on a plane from Lisbon, Rafael Leao has always been at the center of the Rossoneri debate.
The group of those who criticize his inconsistency is certainly well fed, but they must reckon with the numbers of the Portuguese international: this year as well, he manages to achieve the so-called double-double.
Fourth consecutive season with at least 10 goals and 10 assists. From the 2021-22 season – the one that brought Milan the Scudetto with the then number 17 as a protagonist – up to the current one, which, still with a few matches left, could lead to a record in goals (16) and assists (13). With yesterday’s goal he reached 12, to which the 13 assists must be added. Not bad for what is considered his worst season since wearing the Milan shirt.
While waiting to understand if the issue regarding the sporting director will be resolved, there is a lot of work to do for Giorgio Furlani and Geoffrey Moncada. Among the thorny cases, such as those of Theo Hernandez and Mike Maignan, the name of Rafael Leao does not appear: the contract of the Rossoneri number 10 expires in 2028, and at the moment there are no discussions about a possible renewal. The still-long agreement brings calm to the Rossoneri management, who feel that the situation regarding the Portuguese is fully under control.
The cold numbers, however, do not offer a complete picture of the actual performances delivered by the player: Leao, in fact, has repeatedly turned in insufficient performances, to the point of no longer being considered untouchable first by Fonseca and then by Conceição. Sometimes paying for faults that weren’t his. Rafa’s benchings are surprising, but so is the growth shown after the famous cooling break episode against Lazio: no more out-of-place words, but instead a proactive attitude in response to being benched. A significant sign of maturity for a player with incredible talent that is still being showcased at under 70% of its potential.
Foreign interest in Rafael Leao?
Milan’s calm isn’t just linked to the contract and a release clause of 175 million euros that doesn’t reflect the current value of the player, but also to recent conversations in which Rafa has reiterated his desire to keep winning with the Rossoneri. At the present moment, there are no signs of a crack in the relationship and everything points toward a confirmation for next season as well – then it will be necessary to see what changes in the market. There are two clubs that have initiated informal talks with the player’s entourage: Chelsea and Al-Nassr.
Source: Calciomercato.com
