Amorim warns Leao 'it will be tough' to reclaim his Milan position
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Ruben Amorim has issued a warning to Rafael Leao about reclaiming his place at AC Milan, telling the Portuguese winger he must fight for his spot.
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Attributed to original sourceRuben Amorim has warned compatriot Rafael Leao that ‘it will be tough’ to reclaim his position in the Milan starting line-up, but has urged the Portugal international to ‘fight’ for his place after missing out on a recent friendly victory over Manchester United.
What Amorim said about Leao after 4-2 Man United win Amorim was all smiles on Saturday evening after recording a 4-2 friendly victory over his former club Manchester United with Milan in Wroclaw, Poland: Samuel Chukwueze, Alphadjo Cisse, Goncalo Ramos and Ruben Loftus-Cheek provided the goals for the Rossoneri.
JAKARTA, INDONESIA – AUGUST 08: Head coach Ruben Amorim of AC Milan looks on during the pre-season friendly between Chelsea FC and AC Milan at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium on August 08, 2026 in Jakarta, Indonesia. (Photo by Peksi Cahyo/Getty Images) Leao was not involved with the Milan squad that beat Manchester United on Saturday having reported a muscular issue in the lead-up to the game, which has left his future in even more doubt.
The 27-year-old had made it clear at the end of the 2025-26 season that he was keen to leave Milan to try a new experience abroad, ideally in the Premier League or LaLiga.
As things stand, though, Leao remains without enticing offers and now with just a fortnight of the summer transfer window left to go, there is an increasing possibility that he is still with the Rossoneri come the start of September.
Amorim was asked about Leao’s future after full-time against Manchester United and he warned that the Portugal international will have to fight if he wants to reclaim his spot in San Siro.
MILAN, ITALY – MAY 10: Rafael Leao of AC Milan looks dejected as he leaves the pitch after being substituted during the Serie A match between AC Milan and Atalanta BC at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on May 10, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images) He also admitted that Leao is a doubt for the first game of the Serie A season against Torino next weekend: “I don’t think it’s a serious thing, but I don’t know if he’ll be ready,” Amorim confirmed (via TMW ).
When asked for more details about Leao’s future, Amorim said: “I don’t know, but Leao is one of our players. I’ve already said that we’re happy to have him, he’s a valuable player. So we’ll see, but he has to fight.
“I think Cisse, with the way that he played, will make things difficult. Saelemaekers has changed positions, it will be tough. We also have Pulisic coming back, so we will have a lot of players who will be fighting for that place.”
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What happened
The warning comes amid reported uncertainty around Leao's status at Milan following a dip in form and competition for places in the attacking line. Amorim's comments frame Leao's situation as a merit-based battle, implying his starting role is not guaranteed. The remarks add pressure on the Portuguese forward heading into a critical phase of the season. Depending on the context, this could either be tied to a potential transfer link with Manchester United or commentary on Milan's internal competition.
Chance analysis
Leao has been one of Milan's most valuable attacking assets in recent seasons, and any indication that his position is under threat carries significant tactical and market implications. A public warning of this nature often precedes either reduced playing time or a transfer push, particularly given Leao's profile and the financial stakes involved. For prediction systems, this signals potential volatility in Milan's attacking output and Leao's minutes.
Rafael Leao faces increased competition for his starting spot at AC Milan, which could reduce his output and increase transfer speculation.
Leao's starting status at Milan is uncertain; factor potential rotation or transfer movement into Milan attacking projections.