Milan might be close to solving one of the Gordian knots holding up the much-awaited extension of Rafael Leao, the fine he has to pay to Sporting CP, although the reports disagree on how it would happen.
According to Portuguese publication Record (via Tuttomercatoweb), Lille will take care of the €20M sanction since they have lost an appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport. If confirmed, the attacker would get back what he disbursed so far through a 20 percent foreclosure of his monthly wages. Plus, it would remove a significant hurdle for the Rossoneri.
Instead, per Spanish outlet Relevo, Milan have decided to shell out the sum and reached a verbal agreement with Leao on his new contract. The star will earn €5M and become the highest-paid player in the squad.
The Rossoneri and the Portuguese international also explored a different possibility in recent weeks, Gianluca Di Marzio informs. Rather than a long-term deal, the parties could add just one year to his current one, pushing the expiration date to 2025, to have more time to negotiate and settle the legal dispute.
Our Take on Milan and Leao
Timetables and outcomes are always uncertain when these things spill over to courtrooms, and the next appeal is always seemingly around the corner. It’d make more sense if it were up to Lille to settle the fine. The Rossoneri have no role or obligation in such a matter, but they could do it, through a signing bonus, to smooth things over with the player and edge closer to securing his permanence. They’d likely want a lower annual salary and a high release clause in return.
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