Chelsea have been in talks with AC Milan about signing Rafael Leao, according to Italian journalist Matteo Moretto.
Taking to Twitter to respond to claims made by The Times reporter Duncan Castles, Moretto confirmed the story, although he does state the Serie A champions are demanding that the Blues pay the Portuguese forward’s €150m (£127m) release clause:
“It is true that Chelsea have asked about Rafael Leao. There are conversations between the parties, as has been advanced [by] Duncan Castles. But there is NO official offer. Milan refers to the clause: €150M.”
Es cierto que el Chelsea ha preguntado por Rafael Leão. Hay conversaciones entre las partes, tal y como ha adelantado @DuncanCastles. Pero NO hay oferta oficial, firme. El Milan se remite a la cláusula: 150M€.
— Matteo Moretto (@MatteMoretto) August 22, 2022
It’s very unlikely that Chelsea would shell out that much on Leao, but it is clear that the London club are big fans of the 23-year-old. They were previously linked with the pacey winger earlier in the summer, when Bayern Munich Serge Gnabry was also considered as an option.
From the look of things, it seems as if Everton’s Anthony Gordon is a more realistic target at the moment. The player is thought to be very keen on moving to Stamford Bridge but a deal could cost as much as £60m (including add-ons).