Milan Risks Becoming the New Wolverhampton! Jorge Mendes at the Center: Next up, a Defender? Numerous Offers for Leão: Backstage on His Future

Jorge Mendes is at the heart of Wolverhampton's Portuguese revolution. He is now Cardinale's trusted advisor. Leão is courted by many, with the number 10 rejecting all offers.

When the Chinese giant Fosun International acquired Wolverhampton, they also took a 15% stake in Start SGPS, the controlling entity of Gestifute and other interests of Jorge Mendes. Those were different times: the group was valued at 280 million euros, and Guo and his Chinese partners spent 42 million with the option to increase their stake to 37.5 percent. The Asian conglomerate has controlled the team since 2016. In recent months, there have been changes within the organizational structure, but in essence, the ownership remains with Guo Guangchang and Wang Qunbin. Why are we discussing this? Because there's a common thread linking this acquisition, the English club recently relegated to the Championship, and Milan.

Wolverhampton's Portuguese Revolution

The direct link connecting Mendes' agency to Wolverhampton was undoubtedly the Wolves' 'Portuguese revolution'. Make no mistake: if the English club made it onto the global football market and Premier League map, it's thanks to the connection with Mendes. Ruben Neves, the late Diogo Jota, Matheus Nunes, Fabio Silva, Joao Moutinho, Rui Patricio, Goncalo Guedes, Nelson Semedo, José Sa, Daniel Podence, Helder Costa, Ivan Cavaleiro, Pedro Neto, Francisco Trincao, Vitinha, Roderick Miranda, Bruno Jordao, Rayan Ait-Nouri, Toti Gomes, Matt Doherty, and even the coaches. Most notably Nuno Espirito Santo, then Vitor Pereira and Bruno Lage. Some were champions, while others were meteors or flops. If you are Wolverhampton, you can probably accept becoming a vassal to the biggest and most important player in the global transfer market. Be aware: Mendes is a genius, a revolutionary, and joining his agency is certainly a plus for a player. But for a club? At what price?

Mendes Arrives in Milan and His Relationship with Gerry Cardinale

Although Jorge Mendes is not the agent of Ruben Amorim, who belongs to a major agency like AS1, it is widely known and certainly beyond a whisper that Mendes has acted as a trusted intermediary and orchestrator of the coach's transfers. He managed the negotiation engineering with Gerry Cardinale, and we'll get to that shortly, but previously, he was closely connected to the players who arrived at Sporting Lisbon and also to Amorim's move to Manchester United. Here we are, at Milan. Is Jorge Paulo Sandro Mendes from Lisbon the new sporting director? No. Is he the property's market consultant, the trusted man? Let's stick to the facts. 65 million euros fixed plus bonuses ranging between 5 and 10 million for PSG for Goncalo Ramos is not just a very high figure but an offer that no other club had come close to. Milan acquired Diego Moreira for 45 million plus substantial (20 million?) bonuses for Strasbourg. Any other offers close? No. Another player in the Gestifute orbit. Will the next one be a defender? Perhaps Tiago Gabriel, represented by Mendes, or Goncalo Inacio, from Amorim's agency.

Leão's Stance, the Offers, and the Future

And then there are the departures. Mendes brought Santiago Gimenez to Porto, is working on Saudi destinations for departing players, and, above all, is trying to finalize the Rafael Leão deal. However, the number 10's social media post was clear. Only his legal representatives and his family can speak and operate on his behalf. So what? The Portuguese super-agent acts by bringing offers to Milan. He did so with Saudi Arabia, which Leão rejected. He proposed the player to Roma, but Leão said no. He also said no to two Premier League destinations, including Aston Villa and reportedly Newcastle. Some are speculating about an exchange with Manchester City (speaking of defenders, for Ruben Dias). There's Galatasaray, which has decided not to increase its offer, as already reported in recent hours. Leão has been clear: no direct relationship with Mendes, whatever Milan decides will certainly be the club's decision. And that of a super-agent who is contributing to a headline-grabbing market. But that Portuguese revolution is something some have already experienced. Valencia and Wolverhampton, to name but two. Not exactly Champions League material...