Manchester United have reportedly held talks to sign Liverpool target and AC Milan forward Rafael Leao, as per Spanish outlet Fichajes.
Since moving to San Siro Stadium from LOSC Lille, the Portuguese has established himself as a talismanic figure for the Rossoneri, winning a Serie A trophy and a Supercoppa Italiana.
The forward was out for more than a month after sustaining an injury in the opening game of the season against Bari in the Coppa Italia. However, he has been showcasing his qualities once again since returning, scoring four goals in five appearances across all competitions.
Now, Fichajes state that despite purchasing Benjamin Sesko, Matheus Cunha, and Bryan Mbeumo this summer, Man Utd are looking for a new forward and have earmarked Leao as a serious option.
Liverpool and Manchester City are also interested in him, but Leao isn’t high on the Reds’ wishlist, while the Citizens are already preparing to launch a formal proposal to seal the deal.
So, Man Utd will have to overcome stiff competition to seal the deal and have already held initial talks with the player’s representatives to persuade him to join. The forward would even be open to moving to the Premier League.
Leao to Man Utd
Milan have slapped a whopping £87m price tag on his head, and considering the player has a contract until 2028, the Italian giants are in a strong position to stay firm on their valuation if they are forced to let him leave.
Following Luis Diaz’s departure this summer, Arne Slot has been left with Cody Gakpo and Federico Chiesa as the only left-wing options. However, the Dutch boss has shown reluctance to give the Italian proper game time, even though he has looked bright this season.
On the other hand, Man Utd play with a 3-4-2-1 system under Ruben Amorim, and the Portuguese boss doesn’t use proper wingers. However, they don’t have proper depth in the attack, and it would become a problem should they qualify for European football next season.
Leao is a highly talented player and is currently at the prime stage of his career. He is a left-winger by trait but has been playing centrally under Massimiliano Allegri this season.
So, the Milan star could be a shrewd acquisition for Man Utd or Liverpool should either club eventually manage to secure his service next year.
