Rafael Leao distances himself from FC Barcelona: the reason that complicates everything

Rafael Leao is set to be one of the names of the summer at FC Barcelona. Once back to the 1:1 rule, the Blaugrana entity has prioritized the arrival of a reinforcement for the left wing, and the Portuguese from AC Milan is one of the favorites of the sports management and, above all, of Joan Laporta, a great admirer of the player's style of play.

The Catalan team has been considering his signing for some time now, and the upcoming transfer market appeared to be the ideal moment for them to go all out for the Portuguese. However, an unexpected obstacle has arisen in the Blaugrana's path, which could see the possible arrival of the 'Rossonero' star drift away.

Jorge Mendes, the key to Leao's 'non-signing'

According to journalist Matteo Moretto, the well-known agent Jorge Mendes, representative of the winger and friend of Laporta, has lost influence over Leao. The Portuguese was responsible for the approaches between the player and Barça in the past, as he had a mandate to finalize Rafael's departure that would expire in January.

Mendes did everything possible to secure the Portuguese's arrival at Spotify Camp Nou, but the contacts were fruitless due to the tight economic situation of the culés at that time, and the player continued at Milan, where he has regained a leading role in recent weeks under the orders of Sérgio Conceição.

Now, the representative no longer has 'contractual power' over the winger, and the relationship between them is practically non-existent, which is a setback for Barça in their intentions to acquire the Portuguese. The famous agent was the main link between the player and the club and a significant factor in the operation, but by losing proximity to the forward, it leaves the culés with little room to maneuver, so they might shift their focus to other targets like Luis Díaz or Nico Williams for the summer sale.