The Rafael Leão soap opera continues to shake AC Milan and is now taking a particularly unexpected turn. While the Portuguese international seemed to have confirmed his departure from Lombardy after having himself explained that he had given everything he could to the club and that he wanted to discover a new championship, the situation gradually became complicated. The former Sporting and LOSC nugget remains under contract until 2028, but his future has never seemed so uncertain. The Portuguese is still hoping for a way out of the Premier League, his preferred destination, while Jorge Mendes is working to try to find a solution for him. For the moment, however, the concrete offers have not lived up to Milan’s expectations. Galatasaray and Fenerbahçe have moved forward on the issue without succeeding in making the Rossoneri give in, who continue to demand substantial compensation for their number 10. The home stretch of the transfer window could therefore still hold a twist, but Milan must also deal with a sporting reality which is starting to weigh heavily in the thinking around its striker.
Because since the arrival of Rúben Amorim, Leão no longer seems as essential as he could have been in the past. The Portuguese coach now has an alternative which was not necessarily expected and which could completely change the situation. Alphadjo Cisse, a young talent born in 2006, took advantage of the first day of Serie A to strike a big blow. Starting against Torino, the young Rossonero scored the first goal of his professional career in the Milan jersey and above all delivered a remarkable performance in an area of the field long occupied by Leão. His activity, his availability and his ability to stay involved in the game made an impression in Italy. His performance quickly sparked comparisons with the Portuguese, with several observers pointing out that Milan had not really suffered from his absence. The observation is necessarily troubling for a player who still seemed essential a few months ago. Cissè obviously does not yet have the experience or status of Leão, but his explosion comes at the worst time for the Portuguese and the best time for Amorim, who could have found a solution internally capable of meeting his tactical requirements without his club needing to spend a single euro.
Why complicate life when young people exist?
The Italians immediately made the connection after the victory obtained on the Torino pitch. Cisse played in this position of attacking midfielder or left winger which corresponds precisely to the area occupied for years by Leão and his performance was considered convincing enough to relaunch the debate on Milan’s offensive hierarchy. The young player delivered a full match, without the long periods of disappearance which could regularly be blamed on Leão. The contrast became particularly striking since Cisse was present in the game from start to finish, with constant activity and significant involvement in pressing as well as in the offensive phases. All with a first goal in Serie A to reward his audacity. For Milan, this emergence represents excellent sporting news, but also an additional element in the Leão file. The club can now consider a departure with a little less fear on a sporting level, especially if Amorim considers that his young talent can continue to progress in this role. The question is therefore no longer only to know how much Milan can recover thanks to the Portuguese, but also to measure the real impact of his possible departure on a team which already seems to have found a credible alternative. And Rúben Amorim himself did not escape this comparison, even if the Portuguese technician obviously refused to transform Cisse’s first match into a definitive verdict on Leão.
After the victory in Turin, the coach especially insisted on the progress of his project and the ability of his team to quickly apply its principles. “I liked Milan, at times even a lot. Even in the first half, despite the little danger actually created. It’s a team that already has clear ideas even though it was the first day, I didn’t expect them to be so far along in the tactical project”he explained. Amorim begins to reap the first fruits of his work and Cisse is one of the most striking symbols. The young Frenchman himself spoke of his happiness after this completely crazy premiere. “It’s a unique emotion for me. Probably even in a dream I wouldn’t have imagined starting for Milan and scoring. I’m happy, but now we’re thinking about Friday.”confided the player. Then he explained how he gradually gained his coach’s trust. “I believed in it a lot. At the beginning, I was on the sidelines for a while, I always watched every training to know the coach. When I came back, it was much simpler. » A story which could well become one of the big surprises of the start of the Milan season. And above all, a story which offers AC Milan a potential successor to Leão for 0 euros, while the Portuguese could finally leave San Siro in the last days of the transfer window.
