Rafael Leao is not going through the best patch of form at the moment having not scored a goal for two months, and a report has looked at the possible reasons behind it.
This morning’s Corriere della Sera (via MilanNews) writes that there are tactical and off-field issues that are affecting Leao at the moment, namely the renewal of his contract currently set to expire in June 2024.
Since Stefano Pioli changed formation to a 3-4-2-1, Leao has been playing more centrally rather than as a pure winger and his performance has dropped as a result. He is struggling a lot to adapt to a new position on the field where he is forced to move in traffic and finds less space.
Added to this is the contract issue, despite the fact that there is more confidence in the negotiation for an extension compared to a few months ago, but with the fine to Sporting CP looming it is possible he is not sleeping the most peacefully.
Stefano Pioli’s words on Leao after the draw against Salernitana – where the Portuguese forward was ineffective – shed some light: “His situation is strange because last year he did much less in training, but in the game he was more decisive. Now the opposite. We have to look for him more. Renewal? The contract issue has nothing to do with it.”
However, the feeling is that all the rumours circulating about his future do not leave him at peace and are influencing his performance. The negotiation goes ahead and there is more optimism, but until a resolution is reached it remains open.
