This time we might really be there: the home clash at San Siro against Cagliari, decisive for qualification to the next edition of the UEFA Champions League, could become the last match played by Rafael Leao in a AC Milan shirt. A less remote possibility than expected after recent months have dampened the enthusiasm and affection between the Portuguese number 10 and the entire Rossoneri environment, which has been struggling for seven long years following the performances recently delivered by the player who is meant to be the reference point, both in terms of leadership and technical quality, of the whole squad led by coach Massimiliano Allegri. In four days, the match will be played on Sunday the 24th in the evening at 20:45 CEST, the curtain could therefore fall on Leao’s Rossoneri adventure.
One final game to end on a high note.
Having missed the match valid for the 37th round of the league season against Genoa at the Ferraris, he was suspended after the yellow card in the previous match against Atalanta and the resulting disciplinary warning, Leao is preparing to return to the pitch at San Siro from the start, to lead the Rossoneri attacking line and help Allegri’s side secure qualification for the Champions League. Everything will depend on training sessions at Milanello and on what emerges from the training camp decided by the coach together with the squad: when it has taken place, Leao has almost always started, but his last recorded goal remains the one against Cremonese on 1 March, and the latest performances from Christopher Nkunku could suggest a Portuguese player starting on the bench. But if this really were to be his last game for AC Milan, the chances of him starting would increase.
What about Leao's clause?
If this is indeed the end, a long summer lies ahead in which Leao will dominate the transfer headlines. However, a key point must be remembered and underlined: a double-edged clause included in the agreement signed just three years ago. In the contract extension signed until 30 June 2028, there is a release clause worth €175 million. It is clear that no club in the world would pay the full clause fee to sign Leao from AC Milan: his value did not reach that level even during the 2022 title-winning season, when the Portuguese enjoyed one of the most impactful campaigns of his entire spell in Milan. Recent performances have undoubtedly lowered the market value of the 1999-born player, who could be sold for a figure significantly lower than the clause in his contract.
Leao's stalled renewal...
Performances on the pitch have inevitably put any talks regarding a contract extension on hold. Since last autumn, AC Milan had already made initial contact with the player’s representatives to establish the basis for a renewal: in terms of salary, from €7 million including bonuses, there was room for a slight increase up to that amount without bonuses, while in terms of duration the contract could have been extended to 2030 or 2031, matching the expiry date of captain Mike Maignan following his latest renewal.
Since then, due to what has been shown on the pitch and uncertainties regarding Champions League qualification and the club’s future structure, talks have stalled, recently grinding to a halt and postponing any discussions until the end of the season, with the possibility of considering offers arriving in the summer.
At what price would AC Milan consider offers for Leao?
The figure is around €50–60 million: below that, the Rossoneri club would not even begin negotiations, also to avoid the risk of generating a capital loss that would cause dissatisfaction in the club’s finances. And if Leao’s future were therefore away from Milan, there are essentially three scenarios to consider: first, FC Barcelona, long-time admirers of the Portuguese and who in the past had already moved close to his representatives (moreover, recently, the player was offered to the Catalan club, with Leao himself said to favour the Spanish option for his next professional step); second, the Premier League, with Chelsea FC potentially revisiting interest and Manchester United already having made moves by attempting to engage with AC Milan, including offering some player exchanges; lastly, the Saudi Arabia route leading to Al Hilal SFC of Simone Inzaghi and Theo Hernández’s former teammate and close friend.
Saudi pressure is constant, but at present the 1999-born player would be unlikely to move away from Europe and top-level football.
All options remain on the table, especially if the match against Cagliari turns out to be Leão’s last in an AC Milan shirt.
Source: Calcio Mercato
