Serie A's Milan are likely to bid farewell to their star player, Rafael Leao, this summer. The Portuguese international has made his intentions clear about seeking a transfer and embarking on a new challenge.
Previously, it was speculated that the attacker might consider staying with Milan. He had even expressed his intention to fight for his place in the team and put last season behind him in a conversation with Zlatan Ibrahimovic. However, recent statements from Leao reveal his true desire to leave and seek fresh opportunities.
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, the Portugal international is only interested in joining a top league. This implies that he will reject any offers from Saudi Arabia or Turkey despite interest from both Galatasaray and Fenerbahce.
Premier League attraction
Leao has shown particular interest in moving to the Premier League – specifically Manchester United. Earlier this week, he openly declared himself as a fan of the club. Manchester United have also shown interest in acquiring Leao but haven't yet made an official move. Meanwhile, Barcelona remains an interested party having previously contacted him but never progressing further than initial discussions. As of now, no formal offers are on the table yet; however, Milan is reportedly willing to accept around €60 million for executing his sale.
Despite being one of Serie A's standout performers, it appears that Leao hasn’t attracted as many suitors as expected by Milan since no clubs have advanced talks so far. This puts super-agent Jorge Mendes into action who now has quite some work ahead of him.
It wouldn't be surprising if clubs closely associated with Mendes could be persuaded into deals involving Leão’s transfer - these include not just Manchester United and Barcelona but also Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City who have a good rapport with the Portuguese agent.
Rafael Leao's future seems to be heading towards a Premier League transfer. With his clear preference for Manchester United and Milan's readiness to negotiate, it will be interesting to see how this transfer saga unfolds in the coming weeks.
