Why Chelsea may move on from long term transfer target

Stuart Telford

• 1 Mar 2023 17:05 GMT
• 3 min read

Chelsea have spent more than €600 million on 16 players in the last two transfer windows, but they are prepared to slow down on one target in particular.

Chelsea's spending since Todd Boehly replaced Roman Abramovich as owner last May has been lavish to say the least, with Marc Cucurella made the most expensive left-back off all time and Enzo Fernandez a British record transfer outright.

But one player Chelsea have been consistently linked with who is yet to arrive is AC Milan forward Rafa Leao.

READ: Who is Rafa Leao? The 'new Thierry Henry' wanted by Chelsea and Man Utd

The Portuguese prodigy is out of contract at the San Siro in June 2024 and the hope for any buying club would be that they could acquire him for below the €70 million he is valued at by FootballTransfers' in-house algorithm.

But the Blues are ready to pull out for more than one reason according to transfers specialist Fabrizio Romano.

"At the moment, full priority goes to negotiation with AC Milan," he wrote in his CaughtOffside column.

— Football Transfers (@Transfersdotcom) September 1, 2022

READ: 'He's at 35%' - Mudryk one of Europe's three best, Shakhtar tell Chelsea

Mudryk and more in the way

"Talks are ongoing, Milan are offering a five-year deal for €7m salary net per season with add-ons also included. Leao gives priority to Milan, but it's crucial to get it done before the summer or big clubs could move.

"Chelsea after [Mykhailo] Mudryk and January signings in that position are more quiet, even if they appreciate the player."

Mudryk is yet to impress after his January arrival from Shakhtar Donetsk for a total package that could climb to €100m, but given the outlay the Ukrainian will be given more time.

The Blues are also spoiled for options in the final third - at least on paper. As well as Mudryk, Joao Felix arrived in an €11m loan from Atletico Madrid in January, while RB Leipzig's Christopher Nkunku is reportedly a done deal.

Chelsea also signed Raheem Sterling last summer, and the England winger is going nowhere if his agent Kelly Hogarth is to be believed.