Rafael Leão received inquiries and offers during August, and his name became prominent at Corinthians, where he had trained in July. In an interview with ESPN, Leão spoke about the possibility of playing for the club. He stated that he currently wants to remain in Europe but that a future move is not impossible. He also said that the future is uncertain. Leão expressed his gratitude to Corinthians for allowing him to use their training center, observing that everyone is very helpful and has very good energy. He wished them the best.

Rafael Leao said he liked Corinthians, stating the people there were very kind to him and the facilities were excellent. He is training to return for preseason and also warned Milan to avoid creating friction. Leao thanked Corinthians and said that they were together. He added that one never knows what the future holds and that he is grateful for the club allowing him to train.

Rafael Leão confirmed he has spoken with Milan about a potential new experience but is scheduled to return to the club on the 29th. The Portuguese forward joked that he would go to Corinthians and admitted that if he were to play in Brazil, he would select Rio de Janeiro over São Paulo. Recent reports from July 2026 indicate that AC Milan's asking price is between €50 million and €70 million and that Fenerbahçe was prepared to offer €40 million.