AC Milan are very close to being able to welcome Rafael Leao back from injury, and a report claims that Paolo Maldini has a clear plan about his future.
As Calciomercato.com writes, Leao has been out since mid-March due to a muscle problem that forced him to miss the matches against Fiorentina and Sampdoria, in addition to the return leg against Manchester United in the Europa League.
The Portuguese forward has not scored since the home league game against Torino back in January, going 14 appearances in all competitions without a goal and amassing only one assist. Stefano Pioli and Milan need a more decisive and clinical Leao for the latter part of the season if they are to make the top four.
There are nine games to go, but Milan have already started planning for the next season and if Zlatan Ibrahimovic will still be the centre-forward, the department around him remains to be completed.
Although there are no real non-transferable players at the moment, Leao is among those who definitely will not be sold unless there are irrefutable offers of around €40m or even more. The investment made in the summer of 2019 to sign him from Lille was significant – about €30m – and the last two seasons have certainly not increased the value of the player.
The intention remains to work on the 21-year-old as a winger who can also play up front when needed, roles in which Pioli alternated him over the course of the season, to make him an additional weapon and re-evaluate him in view of the future.
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