Why Rafael Leão could stay at Milan this summer

Why Rafael Leão could stay at Milan this summer For months now, it has been assumed that Rafael Leão will leave Milan this summer. Once the poster boy at San Siro, the Portuguese has become an outcast at the club. However, despite receiving a fair few offers, the 27-year-old is still at Milan, and now it is possible he may stick around yet. As reported by La Gazzetta dello Sport , new Milan boss Ruben Amorim does not deem his compatriot surplus to requirements and could find a room him in his 3-4-2-1 setup. The most prominent offers for Leão have arrived from the Saudi Pro League, where he doesn’t intend to move to right now, and from the Turkish Süper Lig through Galatasaray and Fenerbahçe, who are willing to offer him as much as €12 million per season including bonuses. He currently earns €7 million annually at Milan. While a move to Türkiye has not yet been ruled out, Leão has his sights set on a Premier League move, with Tottenham and Man United having been linked with him, though no concrete offers appear on the horizon. If a move to England isn’t on the cards, Leão may yet remain in Italy and try work things out at Milan, where he still has two years remaining on his contract. A move borne out of necessity Some fresh Turkish wind could do wonders for Leão given how things have been in recent months, but there’s no denying that, for all the money the Süper Lig sides are offering in wages, the league remains a weaker one compared to the top European leagues that boast Champions League hopefuls. If the Premier League does not come calling, staying at Milan wouldn’t be the worst option. Amorim’s back-three setup requires a lot of work off-the-ball, but operating in his 3-4-2-1 as a left-sided attacker could prove to be beneficial for Leão, given he’ll have the freedom to move out wide as well as get in centrally more so than an out-and-out winger, and in his pomp he has thrived in the half-space. Moreover, if he does want to move, some decent pre-season outings could yet persuade a suitable club to take a punt on him. Anshuman Joshi | GIFN