Sunday’s events at the Stadio Olimpico have put Rafael Leao’s future back in the spotlight, and Massimiliano Allegri’s stance has emerged.
Leao is back in the news for reasons that aren’t entirely positive, having displayed anger following his withdrawal in the second half during the defeat to Lazio at the weekend. The nine league goals seem to have been forgotten, and once again the media are talking of an uncertain fate.
Sorry might not be enough
Calciomercato.com confirm that Leao apologised to Christian Pulisic, Allegri and the team at training on Tuesday, acknowledging that his actions – while not serious – have created further problems in an already complex period. The handshake with Pulisic has ended the issue, at least internally.
Allegri worked hard last summer to change Milan’s mentality. The primary goal, as he repeatedly emphasised, was to create a solid, cohesive group, fully aware that rules of conduct must be strictly adhered to.
The work done has yielded the desired dividends, because to date only Leao’s reaction on Sunday is counted among the incidents that clash with this new approach. Avoidable, of course, but not that severe either.
The second objective was to solve the defensive problem that had plagued the team over the past two seasons. This meant a change to a 3-5-2 and Rafa accepted the challenge of playing in a front two without batting an eyelid, which the coach appreciated as their relationship grew.
In the late January meeting with Igli Tare and Giorgio Furlani, Allegri expressed a favourable opinion on the idea of Leao extending his contract until 2031, and this position had become increasingly clear in the following weeks before this tense phase arose.
Negotiations for Leao’s extension, following initial discussions between the player and Tare, entered the operational phase in mid-January. They share a shared desire to move forward together to consolidate a core of top players who are attached to Milan, like Mike Maignan who renewed.
There are two major obstacles to progressing the negotiations: the Portuguese’s salary and the release clause. Regarding the former, Milan want to keep the current figures of €5m plus €2m in bonuses, while the player’s side expects a bit more.
At Milan, no one can be considered unsellable regardless, meaning Leao’s contract renewal doesn’t necessarily rule out a departure at the end of the season. It will depend on offers and what the market has to offer, including opportunities to be seized in terms of signing.
The club have chosen to pause things for a period of reflection because the latest developments regarding Leao haven’t yet been digested. He was late to a few team breakfasts, he did ‘not fully complete’ some training sessions, and then the outburst at the Olimpico followed.
Allegri wants a great No.9 to partner Leao, not replace him. His vision hasn’t changed, even in the last rather troubled month. Max will be a key player in the upcoming summer transfer window, and his thoughts will be crucial.
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Allegri understands the culture Paolo’s teams had, which is why players like Gourcuff were basically exiled from the first team. If you’re not a team player you’re out the door. The Unit needs to be cohesive.
I’ve written several times that it’s time to thank him for everything and turn the page to a new leaf as far as Leao is concerned! He’s had his moments in recent years, but all in all, it’s too expensive and too little. The more time passes, the more I’m sure of that. We’re always expecting more from him, and what we’re looking for will probably never come. Sometimes a more radical change and sacrifice are needed to put things in the right order. If you were to ask me, I’d start with him.
we do expect more of him. I agree with you but something bothers me. Leao has done his best as a winger. The 3-5-2 has been a challenge for him. Are we saying we want to sell him, and then move to a 4-3-3 where we would need an explosive winger? Make it make sense pls
“Allegri wants a great No.9 to partner Leao, not replace him”………..If you know you know
Yeah. The stats know it too:
“The team’s stats confirm a reality that’s now fairly clear: with Leao on the pitch, Milan becomes a more open, more unbalanced team, more difficult to control for better or worse.
The Rossoneri produce fewer xG (1.70 when he plays, 2.16 when he’s not) without managing to compensate in defense, where the xGA (1.32 when he’s on the pitch, 0.45 when he’s not) and shots conceded figures have increased significantly. “
The one thing Allegri has proven is that the team can function without Leao. He is not so indispensable anymore. Gone are the days when we would sit on the edge of our seats if he wasn’t available for a game. He is an incredible talent , make no mistake but I think Milan is at a point where his impact won’t be entirely missed if he was to be sold. I am totally indifferent on whether he stays or go. Not taking anything away from his contribution but harmony in the dressing room can only lead to better outputs on the field…it is not negotiable…
Milan misses Santi. Although he wasn’t scoring his effort top tier. Unlike Leao, Santi makes runs in the box pulling defenders and opening up play. Pulisic’s best was with Santi on the pitch because they both work so hard off the ball it opens up play for the team. Leao was great now he is just lazy. He needs to be sold while he still has a high value.
Rafa is a great player. With the ball he can produce some magic especially when he played from the wings, which I think is best for him. My problem with the gentleman is his lazy approach to play. He rarely joins the defence to win the balls. More often he strolls around the pitch if he is not with the ball. Generally giving an unserious impression