Tare: ‘Leao priority was not football, Liverpool had Gomez agreement’

VERONA, ITALY - APRIL 19: Igli Tare, Sporting Director of AC Milan looks on prior to the Serie A match between Hellas Verona FC and AC Milan at Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi on April 19, 2026 in Verona, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)

Former Milan director Igli Tare reveals ‘football was no longer a priority’ for Rafael Leao before he joined Galatasaray, while Liverpool ‘pulled out’ of a deal for Joe Gomez.

Tare was at the club for the 2025/26 campaign, but then fired in May along with coach Max Allegri, CEO Giorgio Furlani and director Geoffrey Moncada for failing to secure a Champions League spot.

It was already becoming apparent that Leao would not be staying on, as his contract was due to run down in June 2028, and the Rossoneri were not prepared to offer him a new deal at those wages.

Tare on Leao and missed Gomez opportunity

“I had only known of Leao from the outside, but when I got the opportunity to get to know him in person, I thought he was an extraordinary guy,” Tare told the Sky Sport Italia Calcio Unplugged podcast.

“I really cared for him very much as a person. However, he was the player we all expected more from. I think football was no longer a priority for him. That’s how to read the situation.”

Leao continues to balance his playing career with his role as a musician, releasing a rap album last year.

“I think he was focused more on his life outside of football, so music, fashion, things like that. I never doubted his love for Milan, you could tell he suffered at not performing consistently, he had a lot of fitness problems, so always had the handbrake on.

“I tried to have more individual meetings with him than any other Milan player, and every time I got the sense he wanted to do more. But wanting to is sometimes not enough.”

It took a long time for the Rossoneri and Leao to find a buyer, eventually settling for Galatasaray late into the transfer window, so could he have been sold in 2025?

“No concrete offers ever arrived for him,” revealed Tare.

Meanwhile, Tare also discussed the somewhat chaotic transfer strategy over the summer of 2025, when coach Max Allegri forced a rethink.

“It was difficult for us because we decided to change system five days before the end of the transfer window,” explained the former director of sport.

“Going from a 4-3-3 to a three-man defence made it hard for us to find someone of that level in five days.

“We were a bit unlucky, first because Manuel Akanji went to Inter as we weren’t in the Champions League, then we had an agreement with Liverpool for Joe Gomez. However, when Marc Guehi’s move from Crystal Palace to Liverpool collapsed at the last minute, Liverpool pulled out.

“We had been waiting only for that move for us to sign the paperwork. In order to avoid being without centre-backs, we signed Odogu at the last minute as a signing for the future.”