AC Milan winger Rafael Leao has his sights on a move to the Premier League during the summer transfer window, according to Corriere dello Sport.
The Portugal international has been a key player for the Rossoneri over the years, but his relationship with the club has deteriorated over the last 12 months.
Leao has played more out of position in a front two this campaign, and it appears he is now preparing for a new challenge away from Milan after seven years.
There is interest from Saudi Pro League giants Al-Hilal, but Leao dreams of pursuing a move to the English top-flight ahead of the 2026/27 campaign.
United and Chelsea are fancied to make an approach for the former Lille man, who could be prised away for a package between £43-52 million this summer.
Leao’s lack of defensive output is a concern
Leao had a fine 2024/25 season with the Rossoneri, registering 25 goal contributions from 50 appearances from the left wing. However, his statistics have been average this term.
The Portuguese has mustered just 10 goals and three assists from 30 outings. He has been asked to play more centrally in a 3-5-2 formation, which has contributed to his struggles thus far.
Leao has had a strained relationship with manager Massimiliano Allegri as a result, and he could push for a new challenge at another elite club, where he can play regularly from the left flank.
The 26-year-old is a fine player with strong dribbling skills and pace on the counter-attack. His natural instinct is to drift from the left wing, cutting inside to score goals or create chances.
While he would be a good competitor to Matheus Cunha for the position at United, his limited defensive work rate is a major concern that cannot be ignored at the current stage of his career.
Leao has not shown an improvement in his defensive output. He prefers to stay at the halfway line and is not someone who will drop into his own half to help his left-back out of possession.
This could be seen as a potential downside by any elite club challenging for trophies. For this reason, we would personally prefer United not to consider an approach for the Portuguese ace.
Stats from Transfermarkt.com & Sofascore.com
