Rafael Leao confirms he has no intention of leaving AC Milan amid Chelsea interest
Rafael Leao’s recent remarks signal that he wants to commit his future to AC Milan amid interest from Chelsea. The Portuguese forward has a deal with Milan until 2028, (Transfermarkt).
Leao, who emerged as one of the top prodigies since joining them in 2019, spearheaded the Italian giants to the Serie A title in 2021–22. His goalscoring attributes have seen him draw the attention of many European clubs.
The former LOSC Lille forward is understood to have a release clause that is said to be around €175 million (£150 million), and if any club wants to land the star player, they will have to pay the full amount.
Paris Saint-Germain are heavily linked with a move for the 24-year-old, but they withdrew from the race, and the Blues seem to be the only side in the quest for his signing. But his recent comments on his future underline that he wants to remain with Milan, (h/t Metro), as he told the Italian publication Il Corriere della Sera:
‘‘My future is in Milan; I am here, and I have four years left [on my contract]. Milan helped me when I was in a very difficult situation, and they supported me. I won’t forget. I am loyal.’’
According to his remarks, the forward is grateful for the support Milan have shown in him. At the age of 24, he will shortly enter his prime years and will need to win additional championships. However, Milan right now isn’t competitive enough; they’re 16 points behind Inter Milan and out of the Champions League.
He is young and inconsistent in his performances as the forward took his time to get back to his supreme form after the start of the season. So, it is unlikely that any team would be able to exercise his exorbitant release clause. And even if the Blues manage to activate his clause, he will certainly take a decent amount of time to transition to the Premier League from Serie A.
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However, Leao has excellent traits and contributes a lot to the team. He is tall, very agile, and exudes an incredible amount of confidence in his ability to outmaneuver opponents. In contemporary football, individual quality is essential since it facilitates the creation of space.
Chelsea have no qualms about investing in gifted youths. Cole Palmer and Mykhaylo Mudryk are two more examples and they will hope to sign such an immense talent. However, the Blues will exercise caution with their summer window expenditure due to recent Financial Fair Play concerns, thus it remains to be seen.