Raphael will renew his contract with Ac Milan despite his interest in an English club.
Rafael Leao, a Manchester City target and highly rated Portuguese forward, has indicated that he will stay with Ac Milan and sign a new contract with the Italian club. This follows rumors linking the player to a possible transfer to the Blues.
The forward has decided that staying with AC Milan is the best move for his career says the club technical director Paolo Maldini. He is rumored to be on the radar of several top European clubs, with Manchester City among those rumored to be interested.
The 23-year-old has scored eight goals for his club this season to go along with his 14 goals in last season’s title-winning campaign and also two goals for Portugal at the Qatar World Cup. His influence on the team’s playing style has undoubtedly caught Manchester City’s attention.
With 18 months left on Raphael’s contract, Milan will be looking to lock him into another contract in order to put an end to rumors about his future this summer. Maldini, the club’s legendary chief, asserts that despite transfer rumors, he thinks the player is willing to extend his stay at the San Siro.
In an interview, Maldini emphasized the player’s value to the team and how pleased the club is with the player’s performance. He also made it clear that Ac Milan are already in talks to extend and everything is going smoothly. He said:
“As far as Leao is concerned , the situation is clear. We are talking, there are video calls and we don’t have to meet in person, We will try to arrive at a solution. Both sides seem to want it and now we want to try and get closure.”
“As we have tried to do in the last year and a half where many things have happened: our will is there and that of the player seems to be there.” he added
The Portuguese player, who had previously acknowledged that he watches the Premier League and had suggested that a transfer might be in the works, reaffirmed his commitment to Milan. He hinted that while he would like to play in a new league, he is currently fully committed to his current team. He said:
“Yes, in the future – but now I’m 100 per cent focused on AC Milan. It’s a top club and I’m under contract there. I like the city too.”
In recent months, Raphael Leao has been linked to several clubs including Manchester City, Chelsea, and Manchester United but a January exit for the attacker is unlikely, and a summer move appears to be ruled out for the time being.