On the pitch, Rafael Leao is enjoying a great moment as he has found the back of the net five times in 2022. Off the pitch, however, it will soon be decided if he will be personally liable for a whopping €16.5m.
The situation dates back to when he terminated his contract with Sporting Lisbon for just cause, as a result of fans attacking the training ground. The termination, however, has since been determined unlawful by the Court of Arbitration for Sport of Portugal.
Given that Leao’s release clause at Sporting was €45m, the court deemed €16.5m to be fair compensation for the Portuguese club. As reported by O Jogo, the winger filed a report with the Lisbon Court of Appeal but it was dismissed.
In May of 2020, the case was brought up by CAS (the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne) and Sporting reiterated their €45m demands. This time, however, they also highlighted the Lille’s co-responsibility.
The verdict from CAS should arrive in the next two weeks, per the report, and it will decide whether Leao will be personally responsible for the full amount or if Lille will be liable as well.
Milan, meanwhile, are preparing a renewal until 2026 for Leao and his salary will increase from €1.5m to €4m per year. They are currently waiting on the verdict to see if they will need to give Leao a hand, which they are happy to do.
READ MORE: The four key battles that could win or lose the game for Milan against Salernitana