Leao: “I could’ve joined Inter, but Maldini swayed me to Milan” | OneFootball

Rafael Leao shares the details of the negotiation that brought him to the Rossoneri in 2019. A call from Paolo Maldini was decisive for his future.

Leao reveals the backstory: “I could have gone to Inter, but Maldini convinced me to choose Milan”

Awaiting his return to the field, possibly against Napoli in the next league match, Rafael Leao has revealed an unpublished backstory of his transfer to Milan in the summer of 2019. As a guest on the podcast Say Less, the Portuguese forward explained how his fate could have been very different: “The sporting director of Lille wanted to sell me to Inter. He told me: ‘I have to sell you, it’s a great opportunity for you and for us’. But I said no. I didn’t want to leave immediately, I preferred to stay another year to grow more.”

The turning point: Maldini's phone call

After that refusal, the situation changed within a few weeks. Leao himself recounted: “The sporting director came back to me and said that Milan was interested. I replied: ‘If they make an offer, I will accept’. Two days later he told me there was someone who wanted to talk to me. It was Paolo Maldini, on a video call. He told me I had to come to Milan and that the club was ready to take me. I couldn’t say no.”

A bond born in childhood

The class of 1999 explained that choosing Milan was natural, also fueled by a bond with the Rossoneri colors born during his childhood: “Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Kakà, Seedorf: those players were the history of football. And then the seven Champions Leagues, only Real Madrid has more. Between Milan and Inter, Milan a hundred times.”

From 2019 to today: the symbol of Milan

Arriving in Milan at just 20 years old, Leao has become one of the technical leaders of the team, contributing to the 2022 championship and establishing himself as one of the purest talents in Serie A. The revealed backstory confirms how his journey has been influenced not only by personal choices but also by Milan's ability — and particularly Maldini's — to attract young champions with a convincing project and a unique history.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.