Pep Guardiola has now told Manchester City to rival Arsenal and secure a transfer with AC Milan for Rafael Leao. The forward is still yet to agree on a new contract to stay at San Siro.
That is according to Calciomercato, which reports Guardiola has declared Leao as a priority target at the Etihad Stadium. The Catalan boss is keen to convince the 23-year-old to move to the Premier League. But the Rossoneri remain in talks with the winger over his contract.
AC Milan have offered Leao €7m-a-year (£120k-a/w) to reject a move away from Serie A in the summer sales. His existing £30k-a-week terms are set to lapse in June 2024 and do not reflect his status. But the Rossoneri’s last offer also does not tempt the Portugal sensation.
Rossoneri sporting director Frederic Massara and technical director Paolo Maldini now feel they must speed up negotiations with the attacker’s representatives to fend off all interest in Leao’s transfer. As well as Manchester City, Chelsea will explore his transfer in the summer.
Mykhaylo Mudryk’s arrival from Shakhtar Donetsk in January and Christopher Nkunku’s in the summer from RB Leipzig will not stop Chelsea from targeting Leao. While AC Milan will not have the winger’s desire to stay at San Siro to lean on if they do not improve the offer.
Manchester City may have an edge over Arsenal for Leao’s transfer from AC Milan
Manchester City could have to rival Arsenal and Chelsea to secure a transfer with AC Milan for Leao, though. Dean Jones reports the Gunners and Blues both hold serious interest in a move for the forward. Yet Mikel Arteta’s interest will hinge on the Rossoneri’s asking price.
Also, Ciro Venerato reports that AC Milan value Leao at €90m (£80m) and refuse to let him enter the last year of his contract. The forward’s agent has also offered the Portugal star to a host of teams including Manchester City, Manchester United, Newcastle United and PSG.
Manchester City may have an advantage over Arsenal in the race to seal a transfer with AC Milan for Leao, too. The attacker stated recently that he does not like London. He said, via A Bola: “I don’t like the weather there. I went shopping the first time I went to London.”
AC Milan paid LOSC Lille €35m (£32m) for Leao’s transfer in August 2019 and he has since hit 36 goals and 31 assists in 147 games. The 23-year-old has even recorded nine goals and 10 assists so far this term. He has struck eight goals and seven assists in 23 Serie A games.
Leao also blew Arsenal icon Ian Wright away with his efforts for Portugal at the World Cup. The 16-cap forward stunned the former Gunners striker with his wonderful injury-time goal in the Selecao’s last 16 demolition of Switzerland after placing the ball in at the far corner.
“It’s how dynamic he was,” Wright said, via the Daily Mail. “He played it in behind, he got past the defender and the composure to whip it into that far corner – beautiful.”
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