'Leao will stay at Milan' - Maldini emphasized despite Chelsea link

technical director Paolo Maldini believes that

will continue playing at the San Siro.

Last season, when Milan was fighting with their old rival Inter for the Serie A championship until the last day, Leao played a prominent role in his team's championship by scoring 11 goals. His performances made clubs including

want to hire him in transfers. However, the Milan legend downplayed the possibility of the Portuguese star's departure.

Maldini told Gazzetta:

"We have already started talking to him. But not now, for a long time. Every renewal can be simple or complicated, the will of the player makes the difference because that of the club is there.

"Renewal is an issue that we addressed many months ago. Rafa knows that to become stronger than now the solution is to stay with us. We are a young and growing team.

"He still has to learn many things but we intend to do great things and grow with him.

"Chelsea's officially written offer has not arrived, but on an informal level it has. Of course, it was rejected."

Milan, which has won the most trophies in the Champions League after Real Madrid, returned to the competition after 10 years last season and was able to defeat Dinamo Zagreb last night. Maldini claimed that they should chase big dreams in the Champions League. He added:

"We may not be ready to think about reaching the final this year, but dreaming is a must. Because Milan is a team that the big ones would not want to face."

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