A Six-Hour Summit: Mendes Brings Multiple Items to the Table
Yesterday, super-agent Jorge Mendes spent a remarkable six hours at Casa Milan, AC Milan’s headquarters. A presence that cannot be explained solely by the signing of Diego Moreira: Mendes operates at the highest level of international football and is accustomed to handling multiple operations simultaneously. His extended stay fuelled significant speculation about what exactly was discussed during the meeting.
Present at the summit were Gardiner and Almad, alongside lawyers and secretaries handling Moreira’s contract formalities. Notably absent was club owner Gerry Cardinale, who is expected to arrive in Milan in the coming hours — likely on Friday — ahead of the Serie A opener against Torino. The RedBird Capital owner is travelling to Italy to take stock of the transfer market situation in these final frantic days of August, with a packed schedule of meetings with club executives and head coach Rúben Amorim.
The Leão Question: Milan Holds Firm at €60 Million
One of the central topics at the summit was undoubtedly the future of Rafa Leão. At one point during the day, the Portuguese star’s Italian representative met with club executives and Mendes himself — who serves as an intermediary in this saga thanks to his close relationship with Cardinale.
Milan’s official stance was reiterated clearly: at least €60 million is required to sell Leão. The valuation has fluctuated over recent weeks — from €60–70m, down to €50m, then reportedly €45m plus bonuses, and now back up to €60m — largely due to the number of intermediaries involved, each offering their own version of the player’s market value. The club’s current position is firm: a minimum of €50 million fixed plus bonuses, with no willingness to drop below that threshold.
Galatasaray remains the only club actively pursuing the winger, with a bid that could reach €40 million including bonuses — still well short of Milan’s asking price. With 11 days until the window closes and no advanced negotiations underway, the most likely scenario at this stage is that Leão remains at Milan, even if the relationship between player, club and coach has become increasingly strained.
Potential New Signings: Mendes as Facilitator
One of the most intriguing possibilities to emerge from Mendes’ lengthy stay is his potential role not just as Moreira’s agent, but as a facilitator for one or two additional Milan signings. These would not necessarily involve players from his own agency, but rather deals he could help broker through his vast international network and considerable negotiating power.
As is well known, Milan currently lacks a strong sporting director with an established market network. The club’s current structure — with Gardiner and Almad leading the way — relies on external figures like Mendes to help bridge that gap. The club knows it still needs at least one central defender and one attacking midfielder or forward, though priorities will depend on how the outgoing business unfolds: with Kostic set to leave and Santiago Giménez heading to Porto on loan, the attacking department could be left dangerously thin.
Cardinale Incoming: Final Transfer Market Push
The imminent arrival of Gerry Cardinale in Milan is the clearest signal yet that the Rossoneri are committed to finishing this transfer window on a high. With the first league match on the horizon, the RedBird Capital owner is ready to greenlight the final moves, defining priorities alongside Amorim and the club’s executive team. Rossoneri supporters have every reason to watch these final days of August with optimism: the club is active, focused, and determined to complete a competitive squad.
