For FC Barcelona, the name of Rafael Leão is not at all unfamiliar. The 24-year-old Portuguese winger was one of the names that strongly linked to bolstering the left wing of the culé team in the past summer transfer window, at a time when the acquisition of Barcelona's main target to strengthen this position, Nico Williams from Athletic Club, was becoming complicated.
However, the acquisition of Rafael Leão was hindered by two main factors: firstly, the limited interest of AC Milan in parting ways with one of their key attacking players; and secondly, the high cost associated with his transfer, as his price was set at a figure ranging between 90 and 120 million euros, a sum difficult for Barcelona's finances to assume.
Fortunately for Barcelona, the decision not to pursue Rafael Leão proved to be the right one. Despite not reinforcing the left wing, they found in Raphinha, along with other offensive options, the solution to mitigate the absence of a left-wing starter that initially seemed like a challenging task for the Blaugranas.
The significant decrease in Rafael Leão's market value on Transfermarkt
It is worth noting that not investing in Rafael Leão appears to have been a wise decision. Why? Up to this point in the season, the Portuguese forward has not performed as expected, having scored only once and provided four assists in nine matches for AC Milan, somewhat disappointing numbers for a player of his caliber.
This decline in his sporting performance has not only been evident on the field but also in his market value. In the latest update of market values in the Serie A on Transfermarkt, there is a significant decrease in the valuation of Rafael Leão. According to this website, he is now valued at 75 million euros.
Prior to this update, Rafael Leão had a market value of 90 million euros, the highest of his career. With this drop, his valuation is the lowest since 2022, when it stood at 70 million euros. This reduction in his valuation clearly reflects the current situation of the Portuguese forward, who surely hopes to regain his form to be considered once again one of the best in his position, as he has shown he can be.