Rafael Leao couldn’t participate in the first leg of the EuroDerby due to his groin injury, but it was still a productive day off the pitch for him and the Milan hierarchy. They are one step away from finalizing the long-awaited extension.
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, the Portuguese star will earn €6.5/7M per year, plus a €2M signing bonus. The new deal will run through 2028. He and the club repelled multiple teams in the past year. Per Sportitalia, the release clause will be €170M, a little more than the previous one.
Milan director Paolo Maldini confirmed they are on the verge of striking a complete agreement with Leao before the Inter game to Sky.
“He wasn’t fit, and it would have been too risky to field him. He says he feels good, so we hope his problem will heal in a few days. We bank on having him for the return leg, but it’s not sure. As for the extension, we are very close. Both parties always wanted to stick together. We settled a few things that needed to be addressed.”
Per Ansa, the key turning point was Lille caving and accepting to pay a €22.5M fine to Sporting CP stemming from his previous transfer. As a result, the Rossoneri star is no longer involved in the legal dispute. He wanted to take care of it before re-upping.
Our Take on Milan and Leao
It was exhausting, but the club got it done right before the truly pivotal transfer market window to determine his future. Hopefully, it’ll keep him in town for a while, and it’s not just a move to have more leverage with the suitors, which probably won’t go away.
 |
Follow us on Google News for more updates on Serie A and Italian football |