-
News
- 30 minutes ago
Rafael Leao pushed to Man Utd: €40m discount on wildcard 'market opportunity'
Tom Weber
- Updated: 13 Apr 2026 14:34 BST
- 5 min read
News
Rafael Leao could leave AC Milan this summer, and Manchester United is deemed a viable destination, according to reports in Italy.
The Portugal international has been going through a rough patch for some time now. Last season, he was occasionally benched by doomed head coach Paulo Fonseca in a clear illustration that he was no longer AC Milan's main man.
Previously, Leao had been the club's most reliable and decisive attacker, so much so that Chelsea were prepared to offer €80 million and a player for him before signing Mykhailo Mudryk. Milan, after rebuffing the approach, handed Leao a new contract in 2023 with a €175m release clause.
Current ETV
Rafael Leão
F (CL), M (L)
Milan
Rafael Leão
F (CL), M (L)
Milan
ETV Range
€63.6M - €77.7M
The situation could hardly be more different now. Though Leao has received the full support of Milan boss Massimiliano Allegri, he has struggled to consistently perform, while also dealing with niggling fitness issues.
10 goals and a pair of assists in just under 1,700 minutes are nothing to scoff at, but the fact of the matter is that Leao is no longer considered untouchable by the Rossoneri. Premier League clubs know this.
Leao to Man Utd?
FootballTransfers exclusively reported in February that Arsenal have held preliminary talks with the camp of Leao as they scour the market for a high-profile left-winger.
Now, Gazzetta dello Sport has provided an update on the 26-year-old's situation and claims that his most likely destination this summer is either the Premier League or the Saudi Pro League, provided that the political situation in the region does not deteriorate.
The outlet believes that Man Utd could be an ideal destination for the winger. The Red Devils, of course, are known to be in the market for a left-sided forward.
However, the report emphasises that Leao is a unique player in that he requires the full trust of a coach and the club's management. Due to his lack of defensive work, there are only very few clubs that would be willing to accommodate him.
It is thought that Man Utd could be willing to make a move, especially since Leao will be a "market opportunity" this summer. While his release clause remains in place - it is valid every summer from the beginning of July until 15 July - no club will pay €175m for him.
In fact, it is believed that the recently touted figure of €80m is fanciful and that a fee in the region of €40m-€50m is much more reasonable. The report posits that if a bid in that ballpark were to be made, Milan would seriously think about selling.
At that price, Leao might just be a gamble worth taking for Man Utd, Arsenal or any other Premier League sides. Chelsea, too, may be tempted to reignite their interest given that they are planning to sign more experienced players this summer.
Leao to Man Utd: What does the data say?
Using the Career Advice tool of data analytics firm SciSports, we can get an idea of the type of club that would suit Leao well. SciSports takes various factors such as game time, development prospects and playing style into consideration to calculate a Club Fit rating.
At a fee of €50m, it is believed that Man Utd would indeed be Leao's best option in the Premier League. The Red Devils get a score of 70 out of 100, which is solid but unspectacular. The fact that this number is not higher stems from concerns over his stylistic fit for Michael Carrick's system.
Intriguingly, Man Utd are followed by five Premier League clubs that all have the same score. Arsenal, Liverpool, Man City, Aston Villa and Newcastle all clock in with a rating of 68.
Out of those five, Villa is the only club that does not get the lowest possible score in the playing style category. From this, we can glean that SciSports has major reservations about Leao's suitability for Premier League football.
Perhaps staying in Italy would be a better choice. Controversially, Milan's city rivals Inter and Napoli have the best scores with 75 and 72, respectively.
Football transfer news headlines today
Transfer Rumours: Tonali deal accelerates as Chelsea ‘concrete’ interest in €65m teen revealed
Chelsea’s Liam Rosenior sack stance after Man City capitulation
Cristiano Ronaldo ‘demands’ Real Madrid signing
Fabrizio Romano Transfer News: Arteta contract talks, Cherki success, Kroos back at Real Madrid
The FootballTransfers app
Check out FootballTransfers' new app for all of football's big storylines, transfer rumours and exclusive news in one convenient place directly on your mobile device.
The FootballTransfers app is available on Google Play and in the Apple App Store. Download here:
