Chelsea remain interested in securing the services of AC Milan star Rafael Leao.
According to Il Milanista, Premier League giants Chelsea are interested in securing the services of AC Milan star Rafael Leao.
The Portuguese international has been a standout player for the Rossoneri, who won a long-awaited Serie A title in 2021-22. Leao impressed throughout the campaign and even won the Most Valuable Player award in the Italian top flight last season.
A dynamic dribbler who is a handful to deal with, the 23-year-old has frightening potential that can be unlocked by the right manager. Primarily a left-winger, Leao is also capable of leading the line and has proven time and again that he is a clinical finisher.
This augurs well for Chelsea, who lack bite in attack. The Blues have not just let strikers Romelu Lukaku (On loan), and Timo Werner leave but also have a plethora of underwhelming wingers with bloated reputations in their ranks.
Hakim Ziyech and Christian Pulisic have had their moments but have largely failed to show consistency in Blue. Todd Boehly appears keen to make big moves and has shown intent to take the club back to the pinnacle of English football. Signing Leao wouldn’t just be a show of ambition, but also a coup of sorts for the Stamford Bridge outfit.
Chelsea were linked with the winger last summer, but a move did not materialise. The Blues have not yet thrown in the towel and are ready to reignite their pursuit of the 23-year-old. The Londoners look set to return for the player as AC Milan look to keep hold of their star man.
Leao’s contract at the San Siro expires in 2024, and the Rossoneri are keen to see him pen an extension. As things stand, Milan are yet to match the player’s wage demands of around €7 million per season. Unless they do so, the player’s future is likely to be in the air with Chelsea circling.
The chances of Leao leaving Milan before next summer is unlikely, and Chelsea will still need to fork out a king’s ransom to land their man. Boehly has shown himself to be a hands-on owner, and securing Leao would certainly be a step in the right direction for the Blues.
A new era is set to dawn at Stamford Bridge under Graham Potter, and Chelsea require a massive overhaul to once again emerge as a challenger. It can be argued that Milan offers Leao better stability at the moment and might prove to be the better bet for his development.
