AC Milan have decided to take striker Rafael Leao off the transfer market ahead of the deadline later this month, amid links to Everton.
That’s according to Milan News, who claim that the Italian club ‘strongly believe’ in Leao’s talent and want to stick with him moving forward.
Milan paid €28million (£24million) to sign Leao in 2019, but he has only bagged 13 goals and nine assists in 73 games for the Serie A side.
It’s wise to keep hold of him though, because Milan’s main two strikers – Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Olivier Giroud – are 39 and 34 respectively.
Having a talented young forward supporting them with the idea of eventually replacing the veteran duo is a good idea, but it ends Everton’s hopes of a deal.
Calciomercato reported in June that agent Jorge Mendes was attempting to pull off a swap deal involving Leao and Everton playmaker James Rodriguez.
Leao could have gone to Everton, supporting Richarlison and Dominic Calvert-Lewin top top, whilst Rodriguez would have replaced Hakan Calhanoglu at Milan.
The move did seem to make some sense with Rodriguez’s future unclear anyway, but it now seems that Milan have decided to keep hold of the Portuguese forward.
Once called ‘the Portuguese Mbappe’ by Gerard Lopez, Leao hasn’t quite lived up to that billing just yet, but Milan are hoping to see it happen in the coming years.
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