Rafael Leao answers the claim that Ruben Amorim thinks he’s a ‘negative influence’ in the AC Milan locker room.
Rafael Leao has spoken out against reports saying he’s had problems with AC Milan manager Ruben Amorim and was called a ‘negative influence’ at the club.
This Saturday, AC Milan will play their last pre-season game against Manchester United at the Tarczynski Arena in Wroclaw, Poland.
This friendly is special because it’s the first time new Milan boss Amorim will face his former club, United, after being let go by them in January following a tough spell and disagreements with the club’s leaders.
Before the match, many media stories have focused on Amorim and how he’s fitting in at Milan since replacing Massimiliano Allegri in June.
One story claimed that Leao has had a fallout with Amorim, who supposedly sees him as having a negative effect on the team’s locker room. This has sparked transfer rumors about the 27-year-old winger this summer.
Leao quickly responded to these claims on social media, calling them lies. He wrote on X, “Maybe you’re because you lying,” replying to the post sharing the report.
People also noticed Leao didn’t play in the friendly against Manchester United, which didn’t help the rumors. But it was later confirmed he missed out due to a minor injury, not because of any punishment.
Still, it looks likely that Leao will leave AC Milan this summer since both he and the club seem ready for him to move on.
Three teams from Turkey—Galatasaray, Besiktas, and Fenerbahce—have reportedly made offers for him. But the bids didn’t come close to Milan’s asking price, which is about €50 million plus €10 million in bonuses (£42.7m plus £8.5m).
With the transfer deadline coming soon, Milan might lower their price to around €40 million (£34.2m) to make a deal happen.
Some Premier League clubs are also interested, with Leeds United being the most likely destination. However, Leeds haven’t made a formal offer yet.
Signing Leao would be a big move for Leeds, especially after they already spent a lot on two defenders this summer. But one major hurdle is Leao’s salary.
At Milan, he earns about £105,000 a week, making him one of the top earners there. This would instantly make him the highest-paid player at Leeds, currently topped by Tarik Muharemović and Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who both earn around £100,000 a week.
There are also reports that Leao might want a pay raise with his next club since this could be the most important move of his career, which could make things more complicated for Leeds.