Rabiot notes big Leao change and has Maignan transfer hope

Adrien Rabiot admits Rafael Leao is ‘working hard’ and notes he even made ‘sliding tackles’ in a 1-0 win over Inter and hopes Mike Maignan ‘continues to grow at Milan’ by signing a contract extension.

During his interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, in which he praised his coach Allegri, Milan star Rabiot also spoke about some of his teammates and Sunday’s win over city rivals Inter.

“It was a special match for Milan and the fans. It was great to win my first derby at San Siro, and I’m proud of how we played. These three points gave us even more confidence,” he said.

Maignan was the MOTM against Inter and saved a penalty kick from Hakan Calhanoglu in the second half.

The goalkeeper’s contract at San Siro expires in June 2026, but Rabiot hopes to continue playing with his compatriot at Milan for the years to come.

“I hope so, like everyone in Milan. Maignan is an extraordinary goalkeeper, and there aren’t many like him in the world,” said the midfielder.

“He’s crucial for us, and Mike loves the Rossoneri shirt. I’m not getting into the negotiations between him and the club management, but I hope he continues to grow here, with a coach like Allegri within this group.”

Another French player, Christopher Nkunku, joined the Rossoneri last summer: “He’s talented and has already shown it in the past,” said Rabiot.

“I know him because we grew up together, he, Mike and I. He arrived from Chelsea out of shape and needs to adapt to a difficult league like Serie A. Now, he’s doing well physically, and he’s motivated.”

Barely a month ago, Rabiot had warned his teammate Leao that he was “no longer young” but the Portuguese ace has been showing some steady improvements in recent weeks.

“He works very hard; he even made some sliding tackles in the derby to win the ball back,” noted Rabiot.

“It’s great to see a talent like him sacrifice himself for the team. Compared to when I was at Juve, he has improved so much.”

Luka Modric is another key player in the Milan squad.

“He’s a simple person; he loves football like a child. I feel comfortable with him in central midfield. He has quality, vision, but he also contributes a lot to winning the ball back, running and going hard when needed,” said Rabiot.

“He’s an extraordinary player, and even at 40, he amazes me with the desire he puts in every single training session and match. I admire him a lot. I hope I’ll still have his passion at his age.”

On Saturday, the Rossoneri host Lazio at San Siro, so Rabiot will reunite with his ex-Juventus coach Maurizio Sarri.

“It will be nice to see him again. At Juventus, we went through a particular season. I played very little at the beginning, but after COVID, I was always a starter, and we won the Scudetto. Sarri is a great coach.

“I have an important season ahead, in which I can win with Milan and France. I hope I manage to go and play all the way to the World Cup Final.

“Italy? The play-offs are tough, but I hope Italy can qualify because they must be at the World Cup.”