Tare: Leao's Priority Was Not Football

Former AC Milan sporting director Igli Tare said that Rafael Leao no longer saw football as a priority before his transfer to Galatasaray. Tare spoke on Sky Sport Italia's Calcio Unplugged programme.

Tare recalled that he worked at the club during the 2025/26 season and that in May he was dismissed, along with Max Allegri, CEO Giorgio Furlani and director Geoffrey Moncada, after the team failed to qualify for the Champions League. It was noted that Leao's contract ends in June 2028, but that Milan were not ready to offer the player a new deal at his current salary.

Tare said that after getting to know Leao closely, he considered him a very good person. However, he said the player did not produce the expected performances, had fitness problems, and focused more on interests outside football, especially music and fashion. According to Tare, there is no doubt about Leao's love for Milan, but he believes that willingness is not always enough.

Leao's sale took a long time, and a deal with Galatasaray was reached near the end of the transfer period. Tare also addressed the club's summer 2025 transfer process. Allegri's decision to change the system was made five days before the transfer window closed. Switching from a four-man defence to a three-centre-back system made it difficult to find a suitable player in such a short time.