AC Milan have confirmed that Rafael Leao has signed a contract renewal that will keep him with the Rossoneri until June 2028.
The 23-year-old has been a pivotal figure for us again this season, scoring 14 goals and providing 15 assists in 47 appearances across all competitions, as he has continued to emphasise his importance in Stefano Pioli’s side.
It follows a campaign in which he was instrumental in leading us to the Scudetto, and with our progression in Europe this year, it’s hoped that both he and the team will go from strength to strength together in the coming years.
As per Milan’s statement, Leao has put pen to paper on a new agreement that ties him to us until 2028, while Fabrizio Romano reports that he will earn €5m per year plus €2m in add-ons and a signing fee.
Official Statement: Rafael Leão ➡️ https://t.co/W6zqLvzfjW
Comunicato Ufficiale: Rafael Leão ➡️ https://t.co/hzPDwvIRXz#SempreMilan pic.twitter.com/QE9g3ZmDgx
— AC Milan (@acmilan) June 2, 2023
Further, he claims that a release clause worth €175m has been inserted into the agreement, and so coupled with the fact that Leao’s previous contract was set to expire in 2024, this not only secures his long-term future with us, but safeguards our position if there is interest from elsewhere in acquiring him.
In turn, it’s the ideal way to start the summer, as while we’ll look to finish the Serie A campaign off positively this Sunday against Verona, with Champions League football already secured for next season, it has been a successful week for the club on and off the pitch.
That said, while it’s a brilliant start in terms of the Leao news, there is plenty of work still to be done in the coming weeks and months to strengthen this Milan squad and ensure we’re more competitive next year.
While we deserve praise for our Champions League run, our limitations were exposed in the semi-finals, and while we may have eventually sealed a top-four finish in the league, it was neither pretty nor convincing as our standards undoubtedly slipped this season.
Blame and responsibility for that can be shared right across the club, from management down to the players.
However, one thing that it made clear is that we need to improve the level of quality in this group, as right now, it isn’t competitive enough to bridge that gap to Napoli nor is it ready to go all the way in Europe as we still have key shortcomings in vital areas of the squad.
Securing Champions League football was a huge boost for our recruitment plans this summer, and convincing Leao to commit his future is not only a boost in itself given what he contributes, but it’s also a clear indication to others that our star man believes in our project and plans moving forward to be successful.
It’s a big win for the Milan management team, but they must now follow that up with smart decisions in the transfer market to significantly improve the squad and make us increasingly competitive with key signings that raise our level again.
