AC Milan sporting director Igli Tare has insisted that both Mike Maignan and Rafael Leao will still be at the club for next season.
It’s been an eventful summer already for the Rossoneri, as after Tare’s appointment and Massimiliano Allegri’s return was confirmed, speculation was rife over the extent of the potential rebuild that we’d see in this transfer window.
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The Milan boss will want to build his own squad, and following the big-money exit of Tijjani Reijnders to kick things off, it set the foundation for a potentially high-spending summer which would see multiple incomings and outgoings.
While further exits are expected for some key individuals, Tare has revealed that both Maignan and Leao are part of our plans for the new campaign, and although things could change in the transfer market, the expectation is that the influential duo will lead this new cycle under Allegri.
“Maignan is not leaving, he will be at Milan next season too,” the Milan chief said in his press conference. “There was interest from a Premier League club but in the end an agreement was not reached, knowing that Maignan is a point of reference not only on the pitch but also off it.
“We decided to focus on him and look forward together. The market is unpredictable but for us he remains a fixed point of this team.
“I think Leao is a true champion. Few in today’s football decide matches on their own. He is a fundamental player for our team but also for our project. I had the opportunity, and so did the coach, to speak seriously with him and I had a nice surprise, from the outside you may have a different opinion but when you get to know him you find a very competitive guy, his questions were about how the team will be strengthened.
“I consider him an important pawn in our project, he has everything to become a true champion. He has always shown it but I think he hasn’t shown what he really can yet. Offers? We haven’t received anything yet, the interests are all market rumours.”
While that is important and positive news given how big an impact the pair can make in their respective roles, it also comes with pressure to perform and some unanswered questions.
Maignan is still in the final 12 months of his contract with Milan, and so it will be interesting to see if the intention is to simply run down his deal and leave on a free transfer next summer, or if renewal talks can begin again and he commits his long-term future to the club after an exit failed to materialise this month.
As for Leao, there is no doubting his ability and potential, but this is now a critical phase in the 26-year-old’s career. While we are well aware of his ability to be a game-winner and play at a different level to those around him, he has to do that on a consistent basis and lead this team under Allegri by showcasing all of his ability week in and week out.
If he can do that, this will prove to be a smart decision to make him the focal point of the project moving forward. If he falls short next season, questions will arguably be raised once again over whether or not he’s the right man for the job, such is the importance of him being able to deliver.
