Rafael Leão could stay at Milan after all, according to Sky journalist Peppe Di Stefano, who says the winger's mood in Perth has changed the picture around his future.
For weeks the question has been where Leão would go rather than whether he would leave. His arrival in Australia to link up with the squad has flipped that reading, and Di Stefano, speaking live from Perth on the day of the preseason draw against Inter, laid out why.
"Everything pointed to him leaving, but Leão's mood in Perth has changed: the smiles have turned into laughter, the first sprints have turned into excellent training sessions," Di Stefano said.
He added that Leão is enjoying Ruben Amorim's attacking 3-4-2-1. "The feeling is that Rafa Leão could stay at Milan, but it's not a certainty, it's a concrete possibility that the club and the player are working on."
The state of the market is doing part of the work here. Di Stefano was clear that the exit door is not shut, only that the offers on the table are not the kind Milan would accept.
"If a €50m offer were to arrive from the Premier League, the management would say yes, but since there's only Turkey involved, the scenario of him staying cannot be ruled out," he said.
That leaves Leão's future tied to a bid that has not arrived. From here, it is the Premier League clubs, not Milan or the player, who decide whether the €50m that changes everything ever lands on the table.