There have been several suggestions about Rafael Leao’s future recently. However, it seems he could gain new importance at AC Milan.
A player like Leao will always have links to other clubs. He is one of the best wingers around, and despite being frustrating too often, under the right manager, he could become one of the best players in Europe.
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Of course, there are things that would need to happen for that to occur. However, Massimiliano Allegri has the newest idea in mind, and he would like to build on the work of others.
According to Milan News, Leao is set to return to the central point of Milan, and this is the desire of Igli Tare and Allegri. There are no doubts in either of their minds that the winger can fill this role.
We know from the past how good the Italian coach can be with ‘difficult’ players, and the hope is that this can be recreated with the Portuguese star, who Allegri has very vocally backed previously.
There can be no denying that he has been badly handled this season, which is another thing which may go in Allegri’s favour. Returning Leao to Milan and vice versa could be the thing to make the forward click once and for all.
In fact, the former Juventus man has centrality in mind literally, and wants to put him into a more centralised role, similar to how he utilised Paulo Dybala with Juventus.
Can’t have an overly offensive midfielder or left back because Laeo doesn’t track back on defense or offer cover (even when he gives the ball away).
Can’t have a creative player in the middle of the attack because Laeo doesn’t consistently make off ball runs (especially to the back post)
Can’t play a high press because Laeo doesn’t play aggressive enough and allows a pressure valve to the build up.
Isn’t a factor on corner kicks even though he is taller and more athletic than just about everyone one the pitch because….I don’t know why? No desire?
But if Allegri can figure out a way for Laeo to be a difference maker in every game….It will be money well spent. Because Laeo can be as good as he wants to be.
Good synopsis.
Summer is long, Tare and Allegri still have time to see Leão’s strengths and weaknesses and figure out what to do.
He has a lot of problems (as you’re pointed out) but he isn’t a trash player either and still remains one of the best players in our unbalanced and poorly constructed squad.
Couldn’t have been better put..
Like I say in everyother post I make, Leao is a ceiling for this team, and as long as the team is built around him, stability and progress is farther than we think.
Having said that, I believe cashing out on Leao now is the best option, building around him is a recipe for disaster, I may be wrong but only time will tell.
I share thesame view mate.
Leao so far has been a magic wand to get results. But that doesn’t always work with his partner Theo.
I watched the last game against Monza. Milan game was more fluid and interesting without both of them playing.
It would make more sense to try and build on Reijinders instead.
They were more fluid but pretty were toothless for most of the game, which leao can pull defenders or create magic. I think if he makes better decisions when dribbling he’ll have much better impact.
You are obviously wrong, since you don’t even trust your own opinion, a player with double digit goal contribution probably top 2 in the whole of serie A in the last 3 season is more than reliable and deservedly the right choice and also the ticket to exciting football expected of Milan and more wins across board
Touché
Well said. And then there’s the Theo problem. One of his old coaches said there wasn’t a single training session or match that he didn’t have to push him… hard.
Doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results
I often agree with your comments, but hete you seem to forget that Leao had a very important role in the scudetto season. If they´re about to do that over again, I guess nobody would object. Leao has it and has proven it, but he is very delicate to handle. Personally I don´t like these charachters (like you I suppose) but I can´t deny that Leao has done great things for Milan in the past and has the possibility to do that again. He definitely is unfulfilled. Let´s hope Allegri has the key to unlock his best version and we´ll all be delighted.
To put what you’ve said in a few words, Let’s gamble with Leao for another season.
Leao has been at Milan for 6 years and people still talk about that one season back when. Doesn’t that make him a one season wonder?
Also, going into the scudetto season Leao wasn’t even a suppose to be a starter, but early Ibra and Giroud injuries forced Pioli to play Rebic as a striker and Leao as a winger. Leao was a surprise for the league. He isn’t anymore, that’s why teams have no problem shutting him down because he is so one dimensional and so limited as a player on top of being lazy and hurting the team defensively.
Milan left side defensively is the worst in the league. You have a lazy winger and a space cadet for a left back. Offensively they don’t produce enough to make up for the damage they cause defensively.
Milan is a counter attacking team because those 2 are useless in possession. Their best characteristic is their speed. Well, when a team sits back, your speed is totally useless because there is no room to run.
Both of them can not be on the team next season. One or both have to go. If I have to choose just one, Theo Hernández should never put on a Milan jersey again, especially if you add his unprofessional behavior, being a bad teammate on top of being the worst defender in the league.
Also, there is a huge difference between being a surprise and now being the central figure of the team. The expectations are totally different, and Leao can’t live up to those expectations as we have seen.
Leao is a supplementary piece, he cannot be the centerpiece of the team. If you make him the centerpiece, you will have the season you just had.
The centerpiece of your team needs to bring guarantees. You shouldn’t wonder if he is going to show up in the mood to play or not or play one good game once a month. That’s been Leao thru his entire Milan career, not just this season.
Milan needs to either sign a player they will build a team around or they should build the tram around Public, while Leao needs to learn how to fit in. Building a team around him always was and will always be a mistake.
Agree with all your point there Z…
Leao is unstoppable creative football player when he is on the mood…
Let’s give him proper role in the team next season…by not building the team around him…
Now please get Coppola before others jump in. That kid is available for 10 millions. Not a steal, a robbery.
It’s no gamble. For Milan 3rd in goals, 2nd in assists.
And everyone knows he can do better.
Leao needs to be sold to have a more balanced team. Sell him for 80 to 100m and build the team around pulisic and reinjders. Move pulisic to the left and buy a good right winger like orsolini or someone better then a dm which frees Tijani of his defensive duties a bit. Sell the deadwoods and we have a more balanced team
Leao-Gimenez
Pulisic
DeCuyper* – Ricci* – Fofana – Saelemakers
Pavlovic – Gabbia – Comuzzo*
Maignan
80-90M for Comuzzo, Ricci, deCuyper
Mikautadze* – Jovic
McAtee*/Liberalli
Zappacosta” – Bondo/Zeroli – Bennacer/Adli – Jimenez
Bartesaghi/Pellegrino – Coppola* – Tomori
Torriani/Sportiello
60-65M for McAtee (final year and Tiji is being sold to City), Coppola, Mikautadze (Lyon didn’t make UCL and need money) + Zappacosta is free agent
With Theo, Thiaw and Tiji sales we can finance all of them.
Emerson, RLC, Musah, Terracciano, Chukwueze, Okafor, Pobega, Colombo, Vasquez, Kalulu, Morata sales can go for the losses for this year…
Finaly some sense.
Leao has been the center of any positive around Milan in the past years, from this year supercopea, to the CL semifinals, Scudeto, to Real and PSG wins….
He is perfect for Alegri’s bad style -> make sure you do not concede and somebody in attack will take care of the rest.
Get leao out…
He isn’t the Man for Milan.
Lazy most of the time
Mediocre performance in big matches
Defensive abilities weak
The best position for Leao is only as LW in 433. This position doesn’t required much responsibility in defensive phase. But he need a left back who is strong in defense. In 433, the LCM also support the left defensive phase.
This nonsense about Leao not tracking back began when we failed to replace Kessie in midfield. The management/coaches always look for excuses after they decided to change a “winning formula” from the Scudetto winning squad, to champions league semi-final performance. All of a sudden noe leao is our problem?