The rumors about other top teams eyeing Rafael Leao continue to pop up, but Milan aren’t worried about a possible departure. Instead, they are trying to reach an agreement to extend his contract sooner rather than later.
Director Paolo Maldini discussed the topic to Sky before the second Chelsea clash.
“We would like to prolong his deal before the World Cup. We would have sealed it a year or six months ago if it was exclusively up to us. There must be the right conditions to do it. Our goal is to get it done before the break; then, we’ll see if it will indeed happen. In any case, he has to focus on this season. The transfer market has been quiet around him in recent weeks.”
On top of dishing on Leao, the Milan legend praised Stefano Pioli, who could also get a new contract soon.
“He has been the main character of these last few years. We plan to have him on the bench long term. We will meet to plan the future soon, but there are no doubts. It’s true that we decided to keep him a couple of years ago, but we directors weren’t so sure we would be retained either at the time.”
Our Take on Milan and Leao
It’s quite the bold statement by the exec, as it speeds up the timetable on a matter that appeared poised to take a while to untangle a few issues. In any case, he’s under contract until 2024, so the pivotal window will be the next summer one and not January.
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