Chelsea given massive £85m discount in pursuit of Serie A forward
Context:
Chelsea is preparing for an active summer transfer window with a focus on acquiring a centre-back, winger, and striker, and one of their targets is AC Milan's Rafael Leao. Both Chelsea and Arsenal have shown interest in Leao, but Chelsea has made informal contacts for the move while Arsenal considers him an alternative option. Leao's release clause is €175m, but Milan may be willing to accept a significantly lower offer of €75m, offering Chelsea a potential £85m discount. Despite interest from the Saudi Pro League, Leao prefers to remain in Europe. Since joining AC Milan in 2019, Leao has been a standout player, making him a desirable acquisition for clubs looking to strengthen their attacking options, though Chelsea might benefit more from securing a prolific striker instead of another winger.
Dive Deeper:
Chelsea is actively seeking new players in the summer transfer window, targeting a centre-back, winger, and striker, with Rafael Leao from AC Milan being a primary target for the winger position.
Both Chelsea and Arsenal are interested in Leao, but Chelsea has taken initial steps by initiating informal contacts, whereas Arsenal sees him as a secondary option to their primary target, Nico Williams from Athletic Bilbao.
Rafael Leao's current release clause at AC Milan is valued at €175m, but the club may be open to selling him for around €75m, providing Chelsea with a potential discount of £85m if they pursue the deal.
While Leao also attracts interest from Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League, he has expressed a preference to continue playing in Europe, which could influence his transfer decisions.
Since his transfer from Lille to AC Milan in 2019, Leao has consistently performed at a high level, contributing 12 goals and 13 assists in 48 matches this season, which highlights his value as one of Serie A's top attackers.
Rohit George, a content producer for The Sporting News, emphasizes that although Chelsea could acquire Leao at a discount, the club might benefit more from focusing on signing a prolific striker instead of adding another winger to their squad.
Chelsea are all set to have a busy summer transfer window with a number of incomings and outgoings certain to take place at the club.
The Blues are said to be on the lookout for a centre-back, a winger and a striker in the transfer window, and one of the names that has been linked with a move to Stamford Bridge is AC Milan’s Rafael Leao.
According to CaughtOffside, Chelsea and Arsenal are two clubs keen on AC Milan’s Rafael Leao, 25, ahead of the summer.
It has been revealed that the Blues have initiated ‘informal contacts’ over a move for the Serie A attacker. Meanwhile, Arsenal are only considering the Portuguese winger as an alternative to Athletic Bilbao’s Nico Williams, who is their priority target.
The report says that Leao’s release clause at the San Siro is worth €175m (£148m), but Milan could realistically sell him for closer to €75m (£63m). It would mean an eye-catching £85m discount for Chelsea if they are interested in completing the transfer.
Though the winger also has interest from the Saudi Pro League in the form of Al-Nassr, it has been revealed that he would prefer to stay in Europe.
Do Chelsea need Rafael Leao
Since joining AC Milan from Lille in 2019, Leao has established himself as one of Serie A’s best attackers. This season, he has managed 12 goals and 13 assists in 48 appearances across all competitions.Leao has been a consistent performer for AC Milan since joining the club and it has always seemed as though he would eventually move to an even bigger club.
While this could be the year that it happens, Chelsea should ideally invest in signing a prolific striker for the club rather than spending on yet another winger.
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