A real soap opera. Rafael Leao's summer has turned into an episodic saga that could run right to the gong of the transfer window, from his demands to play in the Premier League to the only two low offers received from Fenerbahce and Galatasaray. AC Milan are now weighing up which path to take in the final eight days of the market, not least because while the Portuguese forward has not been left out of the squad as happened to Fofana, Tomori and Nkunku, he remains a tactical mismatch for Amorim and a player the American ownership want to sell.
Aston Villa are closing in
Gerry Cardinale has so far refused to budge on the €60 million valuation of the Rossoneri No 10. That could now change: if an offer of €50 million arrives, AC Milan would reopen talks over the sale of the Portuguese forward. England is back in the frame too, with Aston Villa targeting Leao just days before the end of the transfer window as they look to strengthen their attack, with Ollie Watkins on his way to Al Hilal, following the proposal put forward by Jorge Mendes, the intermediary handling the deal for AC Milan, who has already placed Joao Gomes and Alejandro Garnacho with the Villains this summer. In the last few hours the English club have moved much closer to the Portuguese player, with Mendes at work to finalise the deal.
At the end of the line
AC Milan are waiting for the right offer. So far, Galatasaray are the only club to have made an offer for Leao in recent weeks. After seven long seasons that produced 80 goals and 65 assists in 291 official appearances, along with a Serie A title and an Italian Super Cup, the club now believe the Portuguese's cycle in Milan is over. There is also a clear tactical issue: the role of an out-and-out left winger does not fit new manager Rúben Amorim's 3-4-2-1 which, in his system, calls for two "support strikers" with the traits of genuine attacking midfielders rather than attacking wingers tied to the flank.
Leao's choice
Aston Villa have finalised the record sale of winger Morgan Rogers to Chelsea for the astonishing fee of €137 million. With their coffers full, Basque manager Unai Emery has identified Rafael Leao as the profile to take their forward line to the next level. It remains to be seen whether the purchase conditions and the formula will satisfy AC Milan and whether Leao will accept Aston Villa's approach, a club in clear and constant structural growth which, in the 2026-2027 season, will step onto the prestigious stage of the Champions League.
Advertisement
ENJOYED THIS STORY?
Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting
