Rafael Leao isn’t ready to commit to AC Milan just because his old friend Ruben Amorim is the new boss. The Portuguese winger made that much clear after Portugal’s 1-1 draw with DR Congo at the World Cup on Wednesday.
Leao was a second-half sub in that game. He didn’t score or assist. And when reporters asked him about his club future afterward, he basically hit pause until the tournament is over.
“Now I only think about the World Cup and helping my national team,” Leao said. “When the World Cup is over, I’ll think about my future.”
That’s the most the 27-year-old has said publicly since Milan hired Amorim on a three-year deal. The two are compatriots. They know each other. But that doesn’t mean Leao is suddenly sold on staying at San Siro.
A Rough Season Under Allegri
Leao’s 2025-26 campaign was a mess. He dealt with injuries. He played out of position for most of it. Massimiliano Allegri never really figured out how to use him, and the results showed. Milan stumbled through a disappointing season, and Leao spent the last few weeks dropping hints he wanted a new challenge this summer.
The question now is whether Amorim’s arrival changes that calculus. Milan hasn’t exactly made things easy for the new coach either — the club still hasn’t hired a sporting director after failing to land both Ralf Rangnick and Markus Kroche. The front office is a work in progress, and that uncertainty doesn’t help when you’re trying to convince a star player to stay.
Contract Situation and Release Clause
Leao is under contract through June 2028. His release clause sits at €175 million. That’s a big number, but not an impossible one for a club with serious money and a need for a dynamic winger.
For now, though, Leao’s focus is on Portugal. He came off the bench against DR Congo and tried to make something happen. It didn’t click. But he wasn’t making excuses.
“I tried to give my best. Sometimes there are games when you don’t score or assist, but that doesn’t mean you were sloppy,” he said. “They defended well, with two or three defenders close to me, but I still tried to go one-v-one and do well. The team is the most important thing. We have to raise our heads and work. We must win the next game.”
The next game for Portugal is a must-win to keep World Cup hopes alive. Leao will play. And when that tournament ends, he’ll decide whether Milan or someone else gets the next chapter of his career. Amorim might have a say. But right now, it sounds like Leao is keeping his options wide open.
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