Rafael Leao’s goal drought continued on Saturday night as he has now failed to score for what is coming up to nine weeks, all while his future remains a mystery.
La Gazzetta dello Sport (via PianetaMilan) write this morning that Leao has played 11 games in 2023 so far, of which 9 have been from the first minute, with only 2 goals scored and the last of these dating back to January 14th.
The words of someone influential like Zlatan Ibrahimovic immediately after the defeat against Udinese certify that the winger has lost his smile: “At the moment he doesn’t seem happy to me, even if we do everything possible to make him feel good. There is a lot of pressure on him but it’s not true that he’s less good than a year ago. On the contrary, he’s even stronger: he just has to find his balance.”
Leao flew to Portugal to spend time with his family and closest friends prior to joining up with the national team for their upcoming games, with Stefano Pioli’s advice to think about: “Rafa is not depressed at all but I suggest he stay close to the people who make him feel good and who help him grow and improve.”
Milan could soon resume negotiations for a contract renewal that appears more and more like a race against time with another round of talks expected to happen next week. Despite everything, the Diavolo have lost hope of retaining Leao and his recent performances could reduce the demands.
The fact he is struggling could have an impact if he were to be sold too though, given that his contract is winding down and his price that appears to be falling.
