Leonardo Resigns as Milan Sporting Director; Joined Club in July 2018

AC Milan have announced Leonardo will leave his role as sporting director after the club accepted his resignation with immediate effect on Tuesday.

Leonardo, 49, previously served as director of Paris Saint-Germain and joined Milan in July 2018, helping the club place fifth in Serie A this season (their highest league finish since 2013).

The Rossoneri confirmed his departure via their official website. A statement from chief executive officer Ivan Gazidis read:

"Leonardo joined AC Milan in its hour of need a few short weeks before the closing of the summer transfer window. Under very difficult circumstances he put his heart and soul into addressing a highly complicated situation and transmitting his energy and his ambition to the team. I am very grateful to Leonardo for everything he has contributed to our great Club and wish him well in his future endeavours."

The statement concluded that a replacement sporting director will be named "in due course."

Leonardo follows Gennaro Gattuso out of the exit after the former player and manager announced he would also be stepping down. The ex-Rossoneri midfielder had a contract until 2021 but told the club not to pay off the remainder after he failed to get his old club back into the UEFA Champions League, per La Repubblica (h/t Guardian).

Broadcaster Matteo Bonetti appeared uninspired by the prospect of another remodelling process at the San Siro:

Leonardo had a leading role in transfer business and was reported as a key proponent in the transfer to trade Leonardo Bonucci back to Juventus in place of Gonzalo Higuain and Mattia Caldara.

The ex-midfielder—who represented Milan and Paris Saint-Germain at club level and was capped 55 times for Brazil—also managed Milan for a single season in 2009-10 before he left to coach their fiercest rivals, Inter Milan.

Sportswriter Sacha Pisani said the Milan giants had become too accustomed to appointing personnel with ties to the club in senior positions:

Milan will hope to retain as much of their 2018-19 squad as possible after failing to qualify for Europe's top-tier competition, with a new sporting director set to take over their recruitment efforts ahead of the summer.