Rafael Leao confirmed what had been rumbling through European football for weeks. The 27-year-old Portuguese winger is leaving AC Milan, the club where he spent seven seasons, won a Serie A title, and became one of the most electrifying attackers in Italian football.
His departure, confirmed after Milan’s Serie A victory over Venezia on August 28, 2026, ends a chapter that saw Leao rack up 80 goals across 291 appearances. The destination: Galatasaray, in a transfer that ranks among the largest in Turkish football history.
A farewell tinged with regret
Leao didn’t try to hide his emotions. In remarks following the Venezia match, he made clear this wasn’t a move he took lightly.
“The love that I have for Milan will never end.”
