Diogo Dalot Praises Gonçalo Ramos and Rafael Leão at Milan

Diogo Dalot knows what it means to arrive at San Siro with expectations on your shoulders. He did it himself in 2020, when he swapped Manchester for Milan on loan and discovered a club, and a city, that still clearly sit close to his heart.

So when the Manchester United full-back talks about Gonçalo Ramos and Rafael Leão at Milan, it carries a little extra weight.

Speaking to La Gazzetta dello Sport, as relayed by MilanNews.it, Dalot reserved glowing praise for Ramos, who has started to carve out his place in Stefano Pioli’s squad.

“I think Gonçalo is a fantastic player to have in the team,” Dalot said. “The way he works, the way he trains, the way he behaves, the way he's always ready to help the team. I believe he's been a fantastic signing for the club and I'm really happy he's had this opportunity, because it's a fantastic club.”

Dalot has watched his Portugal team-mate adapt to a new league and a new dressing room, and he is convinced Milan is the right stage.

“I think he'll really enjoy his time in Milan,” he added, “and I hope he can help the club achieve success and fight for every trophy this season.”

Those words come from a player who has himself tasted the intensity of Italian football and the demands of the Rossoneri shirt. Dalot’s own spell at Milan left him with a clear sense of what it takes to thrive there — and why Ramos’ attitude matters as much as his goals.

If his view on Ramos is admiring, his feelings about Rafael Leão run even deeper.

Dalot and Leão go back to their teenage years in Portugal. That shared history shapes the way he talks about the Milan star, whose future has been the subject of transfer speculation this summer amid reported interest from Galatasaray.

“I've known Leao since I was 15 and I've talked about him many times,” Dalot said. “He's a great person, a great human being with a big heart, as well as being a fantastic footballer. That's what makes him special, and I think Milan's fans recognise that too.”

Leão has become one of the faces of this Milan side, a player capable of changing a game with a single run, a single touch. Dalot believes the bond between player, club and supporters has been central to that rise.

“For all the years he's been there playing for the club, I think it's important for him to also feel that the fans like him and that the whole environment around him cares for him,” Dalot continued. “And I think in recent years it's been a fantastic partnership.”

That word — partnership — feels deliberate. Milan gave Leão the platform. Leão gave Milan a champion’s spark in their title-winning season and a constant threat in Serie A and Europe.

Dalot doesn’t hide what he wants to see next.

“So I really hope he can continue to be successful there,” he said, “win more trophies, and be one of the best players the club has ever had.”

From a former Rossonero to two of Portugal’s brightest at San Siro, the message is clear: the stage is set. Now it’s on Ramos and Leão to write the next chapter in Milan’s story.