Rafael Leao to Barcelona: the swap that could change everything

FC Barcelona could find a place for Rafael Leao next summer at a reasonable price, as long as they agree to negotiate a swap with AC Milan. Recent reports indicate the interest of the 'rossoneri' in Ferran Torres, a player who was already mentioned last winter market as a possible reinforcement for the team from San Siro. However, the 'Shark' refused to listen to offers, beyond knowing he is a substitute with Hansi Flick's side.

Leao, for his part, is waiting for an offer from Barça next summer, as the Catalan team has prioritized the incorporation of a left winger. Both Deco and Hansi Flick see the '10' from Milan as an ideal player for the ultra-offensive culé scheme, but the financial aspirations of his club complicate the negotiation. Initially, Milan expects to receive a figure close to €100 million for Rafa, an amount that Barcelona is not willing to pay.

However, including Ferran in the operation could significantly reduce the cost. The idea of Milan is to incorporate the Valencian along with another 40 'clean' kilos to let the Portuguese forward go. Barça has valued Torres at around €30-35 million, making it a beneficial swap for the Catalan finances, as long as the '7' agrees to leave. This season, the 'Shark' has scored 10 goals and provided 3 assists in 28 matches, one goal less than Leao has scored in 37 appearances with Milan, but with more than double the minutes played (2,563' for the Portuguese, 1,020 for the Spaniard).

Milan struggles despite Leao's goals

Meanwhile, Rafa continues to have a tough time with Sérgio Conceição's side. On Thursday, the 'rossoneri' lost in the league to Bologna (2-1) in a match where the '10' scored his sixth goal in Serie A, an insufficient contribution to prevent another setback for his team. Milan remains eighth with 41 points, behind the fourth place currently held by Juventus with 49 points.

The club is currently out of European competitions for the 2025/26 season, a blow that could be fatal for a sports project that invested a lot of money in the last winter market with the arrivals of Santiago Giménez, Kyle Walker, Joao Félix, and Warren Bondo. The elimination in the Champions League against Feyenoord left Conceição's team in a severe crisis that could facilitate Rafael Leao's arrival in Barcelona. With Milan out of Europe, the price of their stars will have to drop in the next market.