‘Better than Cristiano Ronaldo’: Reported Leeds target could be a future superstar

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You know you’re something special when you have been mentioned in the same breath as not just the ‘Brazilian Ronaldo’ but his perma-tanned Portuguese namesake too.

The word ‘special’ has followed Rafael Leao throughout a career that has taken him from Sporting Lisbon’s prestigious academy system to AC Milan via Lille at the age of just 21.

Milan, the sleeping giants of European football, are starting to stir from their slumber, shaken into life by an exciting, fresh-faced crop of future superstars led by Leao, Gigi Donnarumma and Ismael Bennaccer.

After marking his £32 million move to the San Siro with six goals and three assists, the future of Leao appears to be tied inextricably to Milan’s hopes of restoring their status as a continental colossus.

Head coach Stefano Pioli and technical director Paolo Maldini have both made public their desire to hang onto the Portuguese speed-machine for the foreseeable future, with the former Inter boss hailing the ‘incredible potential’ of his £32m wonder-kid.

While no one can question Leeds’ ambition, they have a mountain to climb if they are serious about handing over one of Europe’s next best forwards as a thank you present to Marcelo Bielsa (Gianluca di Marzio).

“Rafael is a No 9,” Tiago Fernandes, Leao’s former Sporting coach, told Tuttomercatoweb in 2019. “I’d say that he reminds me of ‘Fenomeno’ Ronaldo for his pace, technique and the quality of his finishing.”

“Rafael is the best player in the history of the Sporting Academy’,” Fernandes added to L’Equipe. “As a youngster he was better than Cristiano Ronaldo.”

Fernandes is including Luis Figo, Nani, Rui Patricio and Joao Moutinho in that too.

No wonder Leeds want Leao. And no wonder Milan want to keep him.

If he has just half the talent of Ronaldo’s Cristiano and ‘Fenomeno’, Leao could be the man who leads the Rossoneri revolution for years to come.