Barça Alert! A Premier giant is lurking around Rafael Leao

Published:5/02/2025 - 21:33h

Updated:5/02/2025 - 22:33h

Rafael Leao ruled out leaving AC Milan in the winter market. However, looking ahead to summer, the Portuguese player is strongly linked as a reinforcement for Arsenal, at the request of Mikel Arteta

Arsenal will go all out for Rafael Leao in the upcoming summer market. The AC Milan winger, one of the options that FC Barcelona prioritizes regarding left wingers for the upcoming transfer window, would be the chosen one by Mikel Arteta to strengthen the 'Gunners' attack next season. The London club also hopes to bring in another '9' for the 2025-26 season, but will first try to finalize the arrival of the Milanese '10'.

Initially, the 'rossoneri' expect to receive between 110 and 120 million euros for the transfer of their star player, although Jorge Mendes could negotiate a more affordable price (around 80 'million') for Barça if, in the end, the Catalans decide to go for the player from Almada. In principle, the azulgrana team depends on a 'top' transfer to bid for either Leao, Nico Williams, or any other forward next summer, with the peace of mind that comes from being back under the 1:1 rule for signing without restrictions.

Milan will not facilitate Rafael Leao's departure

Besides Rafa and Nico, Barça also has alternatives on the table such as Luis Díaz, Leroy Sané, and Karim Adeyemi, with the Milan winger being the favorite of the azulgrana sports director, Deco. In any case, Arsenal does not want to waste time in negotiations and has already initiated contact with the player and his entourage, knowing the 25-year-old player's desire to make the leap to another big club next season.

Sérgio Conceição's team reinforced itself this winter with Santiago Giménez and Joao Félix. However, they are far behind in Serie A (eighth with 35 points) and their main focus is the Coppa Italia and the Champions League, where they must face Feyenoord in the 'playoff'. Arsenal, on the other hand, still holds hope of challenging Liverpool for the Premier title, while in the Champions League they await their opponent in the round of 16.

In January, Al Nassr put 100 'million' on the table to sign him, but the '10' said "no". In this sense, Milan's position is clear. Rafa has a contract until 2028 and the first option is to try to convince him to renew again at the end of the 2024-25 season. For now, the winger earns 7 million euros net per year, a salary that he could easily double if he moves to Arsenal or another Premier League giant.