What Chelsea have to do to sign Rafael Leao
Robin Bairner
- Updated: 1 Sept 2022 13:54 BST
- 10 min read
Chelsea have targeted Milan attacker Rafael Leao as a potential summer transfer signing but face frustration in this particular saga.
The Blues are closing in on a deal to sign Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from Barcelona but the indications are that they wanted a further attacking threat to add to their ranks.
Deadline Day: Every confirmed transfer around Europe
Wilfried Zaha of Crystal Palace was one option, but the fact that they made no fewer than three offers for Portugal international attack Leao suggests that the 23-year-old was their preference.
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FootballTransfers can confirm that Chelsea made three bids for the former Lille attacker, who has been dubbed ‘the Portuguese Mbappe’, and were even prepared to pay up to €100 million for the player.
There is, however, a simple way in which Chelsea could get a deal over the line by the transfer deadline, but they are simply unwilling to do it. They have been told by Milan to match the player’s release clause, which stands at a whopping €150m.
If Chelsea were to pay that for Leao, he would become one of the most expensive players of all time.
The Blues have thought better of splashing such money on Leao at present but it may be that they return with a bid in January, when the strength of their attacking options will become clearer.
Rafael Leao vs Serie A wingers: 2021/22
As the interactive graphic above shows, Leao enjoyed a stellar campaign last time out and was played fourth by data analytics experts SciSports among all wingers in Serie A who played more than 450 minutes of football.
Prior to that, he had two promising but unremarkable campaigns at San Siro after making a big-money move from Lille, where he impressed in a single Ligue 1 season. Last term was his breakthrough campaign, with 11 goals and 10 assists in 34 matches as Milan went on to win the Serie A title.
Already this season, he has one goal and an assist in four games.
Despite this record, Chelsea are unwilling to match Milan’s demands, and while the possibility of a deal for €150m remains open, they will not take it.
