Milan are set to announce Rafael Leao’s contract extension today, becoming the clubs highest-paid player in the process. Talks between the two parties have been ongoing for almost a year, with various twists and turns taking place along the way.
La Gazzetta dello Sport report that the end is finally in sight, with an official announcement expected today. The player is expected to earn a base salary of €5 million per season and a series of special, progressive bonuses that will be triggered not at the end of the season (as in classic multi-year agreements) but several times during the year.
As such, Leao will see his pay increase step by step, with variations from season to season: in 2023-24 he will come to earn more than €7 million, in subsequent years he could stabilize at €6.5 million, net of classic result bonuses.
The contract, as expected, is the longest possible: it will run until 2028 and will include a €175 million release clause, but will only be exercisable in a summer window, in July, so as to allow Milan to control the fate of its most representative player.
Leao is also expected to change his shirt number, after wearing the ’17’ for all his time with Milan so far. Gazzetta suggest he is thinking of playing with the ‘7’, but would ideally like the ’10’ currently worn by teammate Brahim Diaz.
