Rafael Leão is no longer the undroppable name on Ruben Amorim's team sheet, and the coach has openly pointed to Serie B signing Alphadjo Cisse as a threat to the Portuguese's place in the side.
The backdrop matters for how the summer plays out. Leão has not touched his Scudetto-winning form for a while, yet he had remained a level above most wingers regardless. This summer he has looked shaky, and his standing inside the squad has slipped alongside his performances.
Gazzetta dello Sport reported yesterday that Leão was viewed internally as a negative influence, a claim he denied. This morning the paper followed up with the line that his back is against the wall, and the match against Manchester United underlined it. He did not feature, and Milan managed without him.
Amorim added weight to that reading afterwards, naming Cisse as a threat to Leão's position, which only strengthens the sense that he could leave before the window shuts. Cisse pressed the United defence in a way Gazzetta describe as outside Leão's DNA, and Milan's recent problems have as much to do with a lack of balance as with any one player. That balance is what Leão has struggled to provide.
His injury may keep him out against Torino, but availability would not guarantee a starting role now. Christian Pulisic looks the natural heir to that spot once fit, with Cisse potentially next in line behind him.
The competition is not the only pressure. Gazzetta yesterday flagged questions over his influence in the dressing room, and Leão's public denial has not settled the wider point about where he sits in the pecking order.
San Siro is no longer built around Leão, and the path back runs entirely through his own form. From here, it is on Leão to change the picture on the pitch, or the club decides the rest.