Rafael Leao Returns to Training Amid Transfer Uncertainty
Rafael Leao is back on the training pitch at Milanello. His future, though, is still parked firmly in the departure lounge.
The Portugal international rejoined group training on Wednesday after 12 days out, having sat out Milan’s pre-season friendly against Manchester United and the opening Serie A win over Torino. Physically, he is with the squad again. Strategically, the club are still treating him as a player to be moved on in the final week of the summer window.
Milan move on, Leao left in limbo
Milan have been working all summer to find a buyer for Leao after he made it clear he viewed the end of the 2025-26 campaign as the right time to move on. His long-stated ambition is to test himself in the Premier League or LaLiga, and his name has been linked across Europe, most recently with Aston Villa.
Nothing has landed.
On the pitch and in the dressing room, the club have already started to live without him. Head coach Ruben Amorim underlined that shift with a blunt assessment, insisting that “Rafa is not important.” Supporters, meanwhile, have thrown their early affection behind teenage winger Alphadjo Cisse, who marked his first Serie A appearance of the 2026-27 season with a goal at the weekend.
The message is clear: Milan are ready for the next era. Leao is still on the books.
Interest stalls, price holds
There is interest, but not yet at Milan’s price.
La Gazzetta dello Sport reports that Aston Villa have decided not to push ahead with a deal, though other Italian outlets maintain the Premier League side have not completely walked away. The tug-of-war over information mirrors the uncertainty around the player himself: wanted, but not at any cost.
Galatasaray are the other serious contender. They have come closest but still fall short of Milan’s €50 million valuation. Reports on Wednesday put the Turkish club’s latest proposal at €42m including bonuses, leaving an €8m gap with the Rossoneri’s demand.
Seven days remain in the Serie A window. Leao is back in training, back in the photos, back in the routine.
Whether he is back in Milan’s plans beyond this week is an entirely different question.
