Intermediaries have offered Arsenal, Manchester United, and Leeds United the opportunity to sign 27-year-old Portuguese international Rafael Leao from AC Milan.
According to an update from Ben Jacobs on talkSPORT, while Arsenal, Manchester United, and Leeds United had the opportunity to sign Rafael Leao, a move to the Turkish Super Lig is likely.
“Rafa Leao was actually offered, believe it or not, to Leeds United along with Manchester United and Arsenal,” Jacobs said on talkSPORT’s White and Jordan with Adam Catterall and Carlton Cole, before adding, “The magnitude of the deal, the finances, the appetite and all of that, it doesn’t appear that anything is going to advance. My expectation at the moment is Leao might end up in Turkey. But there was basically a ring-around from Leao’s agency to several Premier League clubs, and Leeds were one of them.”
How has Rafael Leao performed at AC Milan?
Rafael Leao has been an instrumental figure since joining AC Milan from LOSC Lille in August 2019. The 27-year-old was an instant hit at San Siro, and his trajectory has steadily improved over the last seven seasons. Such has been his impact at the Serie A club that his individual performances have directly correlated with the team’s results and fortunes.
That reflected in the 2025/26 season, as Leao endured an underwhelming campaign, managing only 10 goals and 3 assists in 31 outings across all competitions, which contributed to AC Milan’s downturn in fortunes and a fifth-placed finish. Nevertheless, the Portuguese attacker’s stock remains high, and a summer exit is beckoning after his public comments on his desire to leave AC Milan.
What next for Leao?
Arsenal showed interest in the AC Milan talisman a few months ago during the search for a new left winger before identifying Vinicius Junior as a top target. With Leandro Trossard joining Besiktas and Gabriel Martinelli struggling to perform consistently, Mikel Arteta wants an alternative for the left flank.
Similarly, Manchester United briefly wanted to sign Rafael Leao before stalling a summer move. While Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo, and Amad Diallo have been impressive on the flanks, Michael Carrick wants another option ahead of a packed schedule in the 2026/27 season. However, with Marcus Rashford’s future uncertain, any deal for a new wide attacker will not materialise until the academy graduate leaves.
As for Leeds United, the Whites have been eager to bolster their offensive unit by signing a top-class attacker as they attempt to become a top-half team in the upcoming campaign. However, they have already signed Harry Wilson in a Bosman move, and Daniel Farke’s 3-5-2 setup will not allow many more attacking additions.
As Ben Jacobs has anyway suggested, Leao’s next step appears to be a move to the Turkish Super Lig, and recent reports have suggested that the player is ready to join Galatasaray.
