GdS: ‘DiavoLeao’ – Milan begin talks over renewal until 2030 as interest lurks

Rafael Leao became AC Milan’s top scorer in the league with his goal against Cremonese, and now some more positive news has come.

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As La Gazzetta dello Sport report this morning, the goal in Cremona had several meanings. Firstly, Leao scored again in a match that ended with a Milan win, an event that hadn’t happened since the beginning of January in Cagliari.

Leao celebrated with the classic surfer’s position, only for the occasion he chose to bring Nkunku with him, an imaginary surfboard to ride the waves of the season. Rafa is generous and wanted to share the joy of the goal in this way, as Nkunku had served him a perfect assist on the counter-attack.

The goal was his ninth of the season, exceeding the quota for the entire last season (8) and the 80th of his Rossoneri career. More should follow and Leao could even set himself other great targets, like 100 goals or spending 10 years at the club.

These goals go hand in hand and are based on the renewal of his contract with Milan. The current expiry is set for June 2028, but negotiations for an extension could extend it by two seasons.

How negotiations are going

The dialogue is ongoing between Leao and Milan. Contacts have already been made with the forward’s diverse entourage, including family members, agents and lawyers who represent the interests of Rafa. More will be made and are scheduled to happen soon.

Leao has been a Rossoneri player since the summer of 2019, when he arrived from Lille, signing a five-year contract. His exploits – including winning the Scudetto as the league MVP and impressing in the Champions League – led to lengthy negotiations for a renewal, which was signed in June 2023.

This renewal also confirmed his new status: from a promising youngster with a salary of €1.5m net per year to the team’s highest-paid star, with a salary practically quadrupled to €5.5m plus bonuses. A second renewal would result in a further pay rise.

The new Leao

In the summer, another coach arrived to work on making Rafael Leao consistent: Massimiliano Allegri. He has made him into more of a striker. Leao is genuinely fond of the club and the city: yesterday afternoon, he was at the Rossoneri store with friends shopping for shirts.

Like Mike Maignan, another leader fresh from a contract extension, he’s once again fully involved in the project. There’s mutual respect for Allegri, and Rafa is increasingly taking on responsibility. He may not have stolen the show, but in recent weeks he’s been playing with an adductor muscle problem.

It has been preventing him from unleashing his full sprint speed, yet Leao gritted his teeth and chosen to play through the pain. Heading into the derby, while Pulisic and Nkunku will be battling for a starting spot, Leao is the only striker already guaranteed a spot.

Speaking of the derby, Leao spoke as a leader after the victory over Cremonese: “I ask my team-mates to give their all and take it personally because it’s a do-or-die match.”

Fending off interest

The contract will obviously be discussed again later. There are obstacles to overcome, as with any potential deal. In this case, interest from clubs in the Premier League or the Saudi Pro League must be watched out for.

Why? Because they are the only leagues that could afford the required outlay on the Portuguese’s transfer fee and, obviously, on his salary. No offers have yet landed on Milan’s desks. The focus is solely on the season finale, where Rafa’s primary goal is double figures in goals.

Then, the mission is reclaiming the top spots in Europe with Milan and perhaps making his mark on the World Cup in the summer. Then it’ll be back to ​​Milan again, perhaps with the security of a new deal.