Massimiliano Allegri had words of praise for Rafael Leao in his pre-Parma press conference, and AC Milan are plotting contract talks.
Calciomercato.com begin by recalling Allegri’s words: “Leao, in my opinion, is doing well as a centre-forward. The data shows that he makes fewer plays, but he is more concrete and useful to the team, attracting less attention to aesthetics. On a practical level, he has scored 8 goals, playing little and in less than optimal condition.”
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His belief is simple: this version of Leao, the one more incisive in front of goal, is better than the glittering one of the recent past. His mission since day one is bearing the hoped-for dividends, and the Portuguese’s goals are bringing points for Milan.
Operation renewal
Leao joined Milan in August 2019 and renewed his deal until 2028 during the 2022-23 season. At least a couple of months ago, Igli Tare began discussions with the player about the possibility of extending his current contract for another two or three seasons.
The player has made it clear in recent weeks how attached he feels to the Rossoneri, and now the parties are evaluating the structure of the new agreement. However, in modern football and especially at Milan, there are no longer any unsellable players.
The squad is divided into players on the market (those who can be sold without any problems) and those who deserve a thorough discussion with the player himself. Leao falls into the latter category: the club is happy with him, and he is happy at Milan, but big offers would have to be considered.
A renewal would be an important sign of confidence. At present, there are no signs that this could lead to a departure at the end of the season, much to the delight of Allegri, who is increasingly convinced of his intuition in moving him to the center forward role.
