AC Milan are keen to persuade Rafael Leao to extend his contract. According to 90min information, the Rossoneri are even ready to make him the top earner in Serie A.

Chelsea had held informal talks with Milan over the summer about a Leao transfer. The Italian champions were quick to decline but the Blues have not given up their interest in the 23-year-old, whose contract with the Rossoneri runs until 2024.

Milan, in the person of Paolo Maldini, have often announced that they want to keep Leao in the long term at San Siro. Daniele Massaro only emphasized on Monday: "We are confident of reaching an agreement with Leao and extending his contract. We will try to find a solution to continue with Rafa in the long term."

Sources have confirmed to 90min that Milan's plan is to make Leao the highest-paid player in Serie A in an extra period and offer him a salary that would dwarf that of Juventus stars like Dusan Vlahovic and Paul Pogba.

Leao's father is said to be in charge of talks for the 23-year-old in Milan and Paolo Maldini recently confirmed the club's intention to extend the contract before he travels to the World Cup with Portugal.

"We would like to finish it before the World Cup," said Maldini. "In fact, we wanted to do that [an extension] a year and six months ago. But the conditions have to be in place for that. The idea is to extend before the World Cup break. We'll see what happens."

After the likes of Theo Hernandez, Sandro Tonali and Fikayo Tomori have already signed new contracts with Milan, an extension of Leao would be the reigning champions' biggest coup. Having lost Franck Kessie, Gigio Donnarumma and Hakan Calhanoglu on a free transfer, the Rossoneri appear to have learned from their mistakes.

This article was originally published on 90min.com as AC Milan aim to make Rafael Leao top earner in Serie A.