After Rafael Leao declared a desire to continue his career away from AC Milan, there have been signs of a possible thaw.
As La Gazzetta dello Sport (seen below) report this morning, a rift that preceded his departure for the World Cup, but Leão is now trying to mend things. Only once his national team duties conclude will it become clear whether this patch-up job will hold.
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In the interim – specifically, two nights ago – Rafa struck a conciliatory tone: “Amorim is very good; he did well in Portugal. Things didn’t go as planned at United, but he remains a great coach. I’ll decide on my future after the World Cup.”
He made these comments after scoring his team’s fifth goal against Uzbekistan. As is the case for the entire squad. direct contact with the coach is on the agenda. Leão will speak with Amorim to see if their goals still align, and whether he should walk back that desire to leave.
A U-turn from Rafa?
Leao’s words in an interview released after the end of the season seemed to make clear where his own mind is at: “I think I gave Milan everything I could give. I want to try a new challenge in a new championship.”
The club’s idea coincided on one point: the sale of Leao, now at the end of the cycle, could help the private budget of Champions League revenues. They agreed less on the timing, as announcing the departure before having received offers risked further devaluing the price.
Even the fans had sent out signals as was clear towards the end of the season when Leao was booed and jeered. Now the reversal has arrived. After Fonseca and Conceicao, will Amorim be the right Portuguese to strike a chord with Rafa?
In the meantime, Amorim would probably have to adapt his formation from a 3-4-2-1 with attacking midfielders behind the strikers to more of a 3-4-3 with wingers. This is possible if Leao proves to be incredibly motivated.
This is a condition that rarely accompanied him during his Rossoneri years, except in the extraordinary Scudetto season, hence the idea of separating after seven seasons together.
The first obstacle to overcome remains finding a buyer willing to invest a sum of no less than €50m, less than a third of the value of the €175m release clause.
In this sense, the World Cup can be a showcase and the goal against Uzbekistan a signal that must be nurtured. The fifth goal – however beautiful and scored within a few minutes of coming on – is not enough to raise that valuation.
The bigger picture
Considering that the goal ended a 114-day drought dating back to his strike vs. Cremonese, Leao has shown remarkable consistency on the World Cup stage: three goals in seven total matches, following two in the previous tournament.
Once the current campaign concludes, Rafa can focus on his club future. There will be discussions with the coach and the club, though the coach’s stance will likely be the primary factor shaping the decisions ahead.
Leão’s recent step back might be an early clue, but many more signs would need to follow. Moving forward together would require further diplomatic efforts involving the player, his agents, and the club.
Otherwise (and this remains the more likely scenario) Rafa and his team will look elsewhere for ‘new challenges and new leagues’, as Leão himself admitted in a public statement back in late May. But exactly what kind of challenges, and where?
Barcelona and Manchester United never seriously pursued their initial inquiries, whereas Saudi Arabia remains a viable option given the potential financial value of a proposal.
An offer could perhaps come from Theo Hernández’s club Al-Hilal. That would reunite the ‘Theao’ duo, albeit far from the spotlight of elite European football.
“ In the meantime, Amorim would probably have to adapt his formation from a 3-4-2-1 with attacking midfielders behind the strikers to more of a 3-4-3 with wingers”
How? He will have 4 players on the wing? He will stop using wing backs? This is exactly what you read when someone that can’t do 2+2 explains and gives their opinion. The whole point of his system is to have those 2 10s and wing backs high. That is what is unique about it.
3-4-3: three center-backs, right and left wing-back, two central midfielders, right and left wing, striker. Four flank players, yes, but not all of them would
be (typical) wingers. Amorim wouldn’t stop using wing-backs, why would he when he doesn’t need to? How is it possible that you’re not familiar with all these things? I keep telling you that this coach uses both 3-4-3 and 3-4-2-1 but you are stubborn as a mule.
My question has been how he is going to use the wingbacks? Are wingbacks going to be tucked in? If so, you negate the strength of our wingers and I don’t think we have the wingbacks for that. I would hope he uses his wingers and wingbacks in a more flexible manner- overlapping, tucking in at times, overloading a side. If he is rigid he is going to get figured out by other managers.
So you are Pip now? OK. To answer your question, that remains to be seen yet, Conte used a 3-4-3 at Chelsea, he alternated (transformated in) it with a
3-4-2-1, it’s not like there are no prior experiences.
It is pretty simple, wingbacks are wingers when attacking, they are high and wide all the time. The front 3 is not 2 wingers that go wide and a striker, but 2 attacking midfielders that fill those empty spaces in the middle, created by the wingbacks stretching their defense.
For LWB I’d see if United have interest in selling Dorgu, he doesn’t really have a position in their formation. He is a LWB 1/1.
LWB and RWB play as wings with Amorim. If he removes his attacking midfilders and plays with wingers instead it is sh*t. He will have too much players on wings and front of the box will be empty. The whole point of his style is for those wingbacks to pull defenders so there is space in the middle for those players. You are not stubborn, you don’t understand. That is the problem. You keep explaining and you can’t do 2+2.
You don’t understand, it wouldn’t be the first time for someone to alternate 3-4-3 and 3-4-2-1, Conte did exactly that, Amorim will strive to replicate his method and that’s why I don’t see Leao staying…
Personally not to concerned if we play with a “inside forward” or a “attack midfielder” we need gifted wing back who can provide width. Right now I don’t think we have that. Barte is more of a FB good at crossing but don’t really have the technical ability to take on his man and Sales cut inside 90% of the time trying to occupy the space of the attacking midfielder/inside forward. Priority must be to get proper wingbacks or else we are better of just doing a 4.
Yes, Dorgu. Saelemakers can cover rwb ok, at least going forward. Defensively he is crap.
He is not crap but he could do better for sure.
My guess is: Leão didn’t see enough teams interested in him or didn’t like those interested in him to leave Milan.
That and/or he chilled a bit after what happened at the end of the season and maybe he does like Amorim a bit.
Sell now or loose him for free or for a partly 20mill. This management needs to learn
Bort nu
He’s had to backtrack – No real interest anywhere and he has grown used to his easy life at Milan..