After a season of ups and downs, Rafael Leão needed a big World Cup to restore his value in the European market. However, the Portuguese striker failed to be the protagonist he was expected to be in the Portugal shirt. He ended the tournament with just one goal against Uzbekistan and an assist against Croatia, in his only match as a starter, accumulating just 158 ​​minutes in five matches.

A performance that has not been enough to arouse the interest of the big clubs of the Premier League or La Liga, the player's preferred destinations. As a result, Milan are also finding it more difficult to realize a transfer with the value they are aiming for.

Currently, the most concrete path remains the one that leads to Turkey. Galatasaray is ready to offer Leão a contract worth over 10 million euros per season, but the main obstacle remains the agreement with Milan. The Turkish club proposes to loan the player, a formula that was immediately rejected by the red and black leaders.

Milan are only willing to discuss the deal if it includes a buyout clause and a substantial upfront payment, around €20m upfront and another €30m a year later. So far, Galatasaray have not taken this step and Leão's future remains unclear.

For the Italian club, selling the Portuguese is also essential to finance new signings. Defender Axel Disasi and Greek talent Konstantinos Karetsas are on the list of targets, although both operations remain complicated. Meanwhile, Milan are hoping to generate revenue from other possible departures as the transfer market enters a decisive phase.

Time is passing, the new season is approaching and the Rossoneri leaders know that to strengthen the team they must first unblock exits. At this moment, the name that could change the course of Milan's transfer market remains that of Rafael Leão.