Rafael Leao Returns to Training but Faces Uncertain Future
Rafael Leao is back on the grass at Milanello. His future, though, is still somewhere else.
The Portugal international has returned to training with Milan after a 12-day absence, just as the final week of the Serie A summer window begins. He missed the Rossoneri’s high-profile pre-season friendly against Manchester United and was also left out of the squad for the opening Serie A win over Torino.
So he’s back in the sessions. But he’s still on the market.
Milan move on while Leao waits
Milan have been working all summer to find a buyer for Leao after the forward made it clear he viewed the end of the 2025-26 campaign as the right moment to move on. He has long spoken about testing himself in the Premier League or LaLiga, and links have come and gone across Europe, the latest being Aston Villa.
Nothing has landed. Not yet.
On the pitch and in the dressing room, Milan are already behaving as if the page has turned. Head coach Ruben Amorim recently underlined that shift with a pointed line: “Rafa is not important.” The message was blunt, and the timing deliberate, coming as teenage winger Alphadjo Cisse seized his chance.
Cisse scored his first Serie A goal in Milan’s league opener at the weekend, instantly energising supporters who are bracing for life after Leao. The crowd at San Siro have a new name to sing. The old one is still on the books, but no longer at the centre of the project.
Interest cools, price stays firm
Off the field, the market around Leao has started to thin out. According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Aston Villa have decided not to push ahead with a deal at this stage, even if some Italian outlets maintain that the Premier League club have not fully walked away.
The most concrete option right now comes from Istanbul. Galatasaray are at the table, but not yet close enough. Milan want €50 million for the 27-year-old. Reports on Wednesday put the Turkish side’s current proposal at €42m including bonuses, still short of the asking price.
The gap is clear. So is the clock.
With just one week left in the Serie A window, Milan are training with a player they appear ready to replace and a star who still sees his future elsewhere. The question now is simple: does someone step up to meet Milan’s price, or does Rafael Leao start another season in red and black as a forward already halfway out the door?
