Confirmed in the annual report
Paper sings and, in the case of AC Milan’s annual report published on Monday, a refrain that is difficult to forget. Among the numbers that refer to the 2022/23 season is one that changes the history of the club and has to do with its most valuable and important player of the moment: Rafael Leão. The 24-year-old winger is now the most expensive player in the Rossoneri’s history.
The transfer fee that the Italian top club ultimately paid to the French LOSC Lille for the transfer of Leão in August 2019 is 49.5 million euros. In addition to the original 29.5 million, there are 20 million euros. Officially, this is presented in Milan’s books as a renegotiation of Lille’s share in the resale. When the contract was signed, this was 15 percent of a future transfer. How high it is now or whether it still exists at all is an open question.
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Behind this is the years-long legal dispute between Lille, Milan and Leão’s training club, the Sporting Clube. The Portuguese international unilaterally terminated his contract in Lisbon in 2018 after hooligans attacked the club’s premises and injured several players. Leão then moved to Lille on a free transfer, who then transferred him to Milan a year later. Sporting sued successfully. The compensation that the club ultimately received for its own production is around 20 million euros – 16.5 million euros plus 3.8 million euros in interest.
The dispute over this sum has long been an obstacle to Leão’s extension with Milan. Last June, the Serie A player of the 2021/22 season signed a new contract with AC, which is valid until 2028 and is said to contain a release clause of 175 million euros.
The resolution of the dispute is a creative one, through which Leão replaces Milan’s previous transfer record from the 2017/18 season, 42 million euros for Leonardo Bonucci. In addition to the attacker and the defender, Rui Costa also cost over 40 million euros in the history of the Rossoneri in 2001/02 – 41.32 million to be precise.
AC Milan reports its first positive financial result since 2006
Overall, Milan’s financial situation, which not long ago was regularly in the dark red, is positive. According to information from Monday, sales increased to over 400 million with a profit of 6.1 million euros – it is the first since 2006. The club described the past years under the US fund “Elliott” – the company has now taken over RedBird Capital – as “Recovery and Relaunch Chapter”. Milan recorded a significant increase, especially in TV, commercial and sponsorship income. The season tickets sold are also a factor.
“It is possible to combine sporting performance, international competitiveness and financial sustainability in football in a virtuous way: the budget just approved is the clearest proof of this, marking an important step in the history of our club,” said Milan president Paolo Scaroni. “We are facing a new important chapter in the development of our club that will delight our fans. Supported by the strategic vision of Gerry Cardinale, the capabilities of RedBird, the skills and determination of the entire management led by Giorgio Furlani and the talent of our teams.”
By Aniello Luciano & Jatin Dietl
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