While the eyes of AC Milan fans are on the mercato and potential additions, Paulo Fonseca is has also welcomed the ‘addition’ of Rafael Leao to his squad out in the USA, and a crucial season awaits.
As La Gazzetta dello Sport report, Milan’s one summer signing so far is Alvaro Morata and he will take up Olivier Giroud’s legacy, while Strahinja Pavlovic should be the next to arrive from Red Bull Salzburg to replace Simon Kjaer in the squad, at least numerically.
There has been a lot of talk about Emerson Royal who seems close, Youssouf Fofana whose situation has descended into a saga, and Lazar Samardzic who feels like a ‘cherry on the cake’ signing at the moment, but Fonseca’s mission is to raise the levels of existing assets too.
There is a big question mark about Leao: will he show up as the formidable, breathtaking winger who enchanted in the Scudetto season and on other big nights, or will he be the more ineffective and at times disinterested player who makes coaches and fans wonder what could be?
For many, Leao is the ‘purchase’ on which the entire season depends because we are talking about the player considered potentially among the strongest in the league, and he is the highest earner in the Milan squad at €7m net per season.
He was given the No.10 shirt and even wore the armband last season, but now it is time for the Portuguese to really demonstrate that he is worth all this trust and give weight to the value of the investment.
At 25 years old, the excuse of youth begins to wear thin and when you are blessed with strength, quality, power, acceleration and imagination you can and must lead your team to great things. Fonseca knows this, and will begin working with him.