Leão back with the group: a key signal ahead of the Venezia clash
There is one detail that stands out from Wednesday 26 August’s morning training report at Milanello: Rafael Leão trained with the full squad, taking part in the entire session alongside his teammates. A signal that carries real weight, especially at a moment when the Portuguese winger’s future remains shrouded in uncertainty.
The contrast with other players on the fringes of Rúben Amorim’s project is stark. Fikayo Tomori, Youssouf Fofanà, Nkunku, Warren Bondo and Santiago Giménez are all working individually, with a dedicated fitness coach, while their respective market situations are resolved. Fofanà, for instance, has reportedly shown no desire to leave, yet his position at the club remains delicate. Leão, by contrast, is being managed in an entirely different way: he is part of the group, training normally, and on the pitch he is very much a fully integrated Milan player.
That said, this does not mean the number 10 has been taken off the transfer list. His market status remains unchanged.
Galatasaray raise their bid: verbal offer reaches €42m including bonuses
On the Turkish front, things are moving. Galatasaray are pushing to increase their financial proposal, inching closer — at least partially — to the valuation Milan have consistently defended: between €50m and €60m (base €50m plus potential bonuses).
The maximum offer the Turkish club appear able to put forward at present stands at around €42 million, bonuses included. This remains a verbal proposal with no official status, but it does reflect a genuine willingness on Galatasaray’s part to close the deal before the summer window shuts.
The gap with Milan’s asking price remains clear. The Rossoneri’s management has so far rejected every offer deemed insufficient, holding firm on the player’s value. The key question the club must now answer is whether it is worth running the risk of reaching the end of the window with Leão still in the squad, or whether a compromise might at some point become the only viable route.
Mendes meets Aston Villa again: an international duel takes shape
Alongside the Turkish interest, influential Portuguese agent Jorge Mendes held a fresh meeting with Aston Villa on the morning of Wednesday 26 August, working to build the conditions for a Premier League switch. The Villans have not yet submitted a formal offer — either to the player or to the club on Via Aldo Rossi — but through Mendes they have indicated a ballpark figure that, for now, Milan do not consider sufficient.
A genuine two-horse race between Galatasaray and Aston Villa is beginning to take shape in the fight for Rafa Leão. On one side, the Turkish club with a concrete verbal proposal that still falls short of Milan’s target; on the other, the English side, more cautious in formal terms but potentially capable of putting larger figures on the table. The situation is becoming increasingly tangled, with new developments emerging virtually every day.
Amorim’s press conference tomorrow: will Leão come up?
On Thursday 27 August at 2:00 pm, Rúben Amorim holds his pre-match press conference ahead of Friday evening’s game against Venezia. The Portuguese coach had already stated in recent days that the group matters more than any individual, but the situation has now shifted slightly: Leão is training with the squad and could, in theory, be available for the fixture.
If the number 10 is fit, Amorim’s decision will speak volumes: use him — even for a cameo off the bench — or keep him out of the matchday picture while the market runs its course? A choice that carries symbolic weight too, and one that the Rossoneri faithful are watching very closely.
