Journalist Fabrizio Romano has given some in-depth insight on the situation surrounding Rafael Leao, which he describes as a ‘dangerous’ one for AC Milan.
Leao is the centre of a lot of speculation at the moment given that his contract expires in June 2024 meaning he will have less than a year left on his deal by the next summer transfer window if he does not extend his stay with Milan.
After a season in which he racked up double digits in both goals and assists across all competitions for the Rossoneri and was named the Serie A MVP in Milan’s Scudetto-winning campaign, it is no surprise that the likes of Chelsea, Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid have been linked.
Now, Romano has given his thoughts on the situation while speaking to Que Golazo podcast, suggesting that Leao might well stay for another year or two before then fleeing the nest to join another elite club in Europe.
“It’s not an easy negotiation because Rafael Leao is something special. He was the best player in Serie A last season and I have a feeling it’ll happen the same this season because he’s doing great,” he said (via SpursWeb).
“We have to respect Milan’s position because at the same time Paolo Maldini once again said we are negotiating with Rafael Leao and want to extend his contract. The current deal expires in June 2024, so it’s kind of a dangerous situation because Milan can’t wait too long before trying to reach an agreement with Rafa.
“Milan have already lost many players on a free, [Gianluigi] Donnarumma, Franck Kessie, [Hakan] Calhanoglu. Many players have left on a free, so they have to be careful with this situation. But at the same time, they are convinced the player knows that maybe one more season with Milan could be the best way for him to go to a top, top level.
“So, negotiations are ongoing but it’s not close to being agreed or completed – still at the early stages of negotiations. Let’s see what happens because it’s still open.”
