Reports: Rafael Leão and Milan agree on extension – Lille wants to pay penalty

Contract ends in 2024

What is worth waiting for? This, if everything is correct, sums up the latest reports from Portugal and Spain about the possible extension of Rafael Leão at AC Milan and the legal dispute over his transfer from Sporting to LOSC Lille 2018.

In order: Like the Spanish portal “Relevo“ reported in the person of the Italian Matteo Moretto, the 23-year-old winger has reached an agreement with the Rossoneri to extend the cooperation, which is currently running until 2024. Also the “Gazzetta dello Sport“Writes that Leão could earn 5 million euros net from the defending champion of Serie A if he signs a new working paper – up to 7 million with bonuses. According to reports, the attacker selected by the TM community as Serie A player 2021/22 is currently 1.4 million euros.

The extension with Leão has been a high priority for Milan for quite some time. The club cannot actually afford to lose the player on a free transfer in 2024. Should the Portuguese World Cup participant not extend, the coming summer would be the last chance to collect a fee that is halfway in line with the market value. In 2022, Chelsea are said to have offered between 70 million and 80 million euros for Leão, but Milan refused. According to Relevo, Manchester City is currently considered an interested party.

Leão’s resignation from Sporting: the court case of the Milan star

The fact that the extension has not worked out so far is also due to the not yet finally clarified situation surrounding Leão’s unilateral contract termination at Sporting 2018 and the subsequent free transfer to Lille. In this matter, according to the Portuguese newspaper, “recordsBut there is a solution: the French ex-champion is said to have agreed to pay the court-imposed fine of 20.3 million euros – that would take significant financial pressure off Leão.

He had decided to terminate his contract with his youth club after hooligans attacked the “Lions” training center. Like several other Sporting professionals, the national player justified the contract termination with fear for his safety, including Gelson Martins (27) and Rui Patrício (34). However, Sporting did not want to accept this argument, went to court and was right.

Probably because there have been reports of an agreement almost every day for a long time. We’ll wait until nothing is officially announced. But I’m still optimistic, when I saw him up close in Napoli he seemed in a good mood and well integrated into the team, I really think he’s comfortable and wants to stay. …

First, the Portuguese Sports Court TAD had sentenced the player itself. The court ruled that the combination of Leão’s market value at the time, which was €6m at Transfermarkt in the summer of 2018, and the release clause in his €45m contract with Sporting resulted in an amount of €16.5m he has to pay. Since then, according to reports, 20 percent of his salary has been frozen every month if he is finally sentenced to pay the fine.

After several appeals, the case finally went to the International Court of Arbitration for Sport CAS, which also sentenced Lille. Both parties should share the fine, which includes 3.8 million euros in interest. Lille, in turn, appealed to both the CAS and the Swiss Federal Supreme Court – but both confirmed the verdict.

So far, there has been no breakthrough in talks between Milan and Leão, as the club is said to have agreed to help its star player deal with the fine once the exact amount has been determined. If Lille actually takes over the entire sum, this obstacle will disappear. Actually, however, there is still an objection by the accused, which must be finally decided.

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