Ousted Milan Star Picks Galatasaray over Aston Villa

Rafael Leao, the former Milan star, has opted to join Galatasaray over Aston Villa, primarily due to the substantial difference in financial terms. Galatasaray offered him €10M plus €2M in add-ons, whereas Aston Villa proposed €7.5M. Aston Villa will receive around €45M and a 20 percent sell-on clause from the sale. Milan bid farewell to their star player throughout the summer, but refrained from completely cutting him off, similar to their approach with a few other players.

Leao's tenure at Milan lasted seven seasons, resulting in one Scudetto and occasional criticism for inconsistency and attitude issues. Despite scoring 80 goals and providing 65 assists in 291 matches, he contributed to a Supercoppa Italiana victory. Milan paid nearly €50M for Leao's transfer from Lille, aiming to recoup a significant sum from his departure.

The attacker's contract was set to end in 2028. Leao's decision to join Galatasaray, who offered a far higher sum, seems justified given the considerable difference in financial proposals. Although he's not too old, a couple more successful seasons in the Turkish league could still allow him to achieve his desired Premier League move.