Leeds United may look to sign 27-year-old Portuguese international Rafael Leao from Serie A club AC Milan this summer.
According to a report by Pete O’Rourke on Football Insider, intermediaries have also offered Rafael Leao to Manchester United. However, Leeds United may explore a late move for the 27-year-old AC Milan forward, though a deal may be unlikely.
Pete O’Rourke said, “It’s still a possibility for Leeds, because Rafael Leao hasn’t moved anywhere yet, he’s still at AC Milan. AC Milan are obviously open to letting him leave, and have been hawking him around in this transfer window as well. There’s been talk that he’s been offered to Man City, he’s been offered to Man United, there’s obviously been interest from some of the big Turkish clubs, Galatasaray and Fenerbahce.”
“So yeah, look, I would be very surprised if he does end up making that move to Leeds, just due to the finances and everything else around the deal. So I think if Leao does end up leaving Milan, it’ll probably be to somewhere else.”
How has Rafael Leao performed at AC Milan?
Rafael Leao has established been a pivotal figure since joining AC Milan from LOSC Lille in August 2019. The 27-year-old hit the ground running at San Siro, and he has made a significant impact at the Serie A club over the last seven seasons, with his individual performances directly correlating with the team’s results and fortunes.
That reflected in the 2025/26 season, as Leao underperformed in the recently concluded campaign, managing only 10 goals and 3 assists in 31 outings across all competitions, which, in turn, contributed to AC Milan’s downturn in fortunes. Nevertheless, the Portuguese attacker’s stock remains high, and a move to the Premier League may be on the cards.
What next for Leao?
Widespread reports have linked Rafael Leao with several Premier League clubs in the last few weeks, with Manchester United repeatedly offered the chance to sign him. However, the Red Devils may no longer be in the market for a wide attacker, as it looks like Marcus Rashford is staying at Old Trafford amid a lack of movement from Barcelona and other suitors.
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 new Premier League campaign. With Daniel Farke shifting to a 3-4-3 formation and Harry Wilson reinforcing the right flank, Leao can bolster options on the left wing.
However, as Pete O’Rourke has suggested, with finances and other factors potentially putting a spanner in the works for Leeds United, a move elsewhere appears to be on the cards. Recent reports have claimed that he is open to joining Galatasaray.