Manchester City are the latest team to set sight on Rafael Leao amid a challenging contractual negotiation with Milan. The ace returned to Italy yesterday after the World Cup to prepare for Serie A’s resumption. The talks with the club are ongoing, but a new meeting with his agent Tom Dimvula has yet to be scheduled.
According to DAZN, Pep Guardiola’s side will tussle Chelsea, which have long eyed the Portuguese forward. They are ready to offer him €12M wages and €120M to the Rossoneri. But the Italian team doesn’t want to sell in January.
Per La Gazzetta dello Sport, Leao is mulling accepting Milan’s proposal more seriously than in the past, but that may not preclude a move to Manchester City, the Blues, or PSG at the end of the season. The reigning Serie A champions tendered €6/6.5M wages, which may rise slightly during the conversations with his camp.
While not as rich as the salary he could get abroad, it’d be a substantial pay rise. He currently makes €1.5M. Accepting would guarantee that he won’t leave for free in 2024. On the other hand, it wouldn’t rule out a summer departure in case of a mammoth bid.
Our Take on Leao, Milan, and Manchester City
Unless the Rossoneri get too stubborn, a Bosman transfer in 18 months is a far-fetched threat. Given the number and the coffers of the suitors, the risk of his price tag going down is low even without a new contract. On the other hand, it’d be discouraging if even a positive outcome of such a tricky negotiation wouldn’t change the future and delay his exit by a couple of years.
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