Manchester United and Arsenal have made enquiries over a deal to sign AC Milan winger Rafael Leão this summer, according to Nicolo Schira.
Since arriving from Lille in the summer of 2019 for a fee significantly below his current £43m Transfermarkt valuation, the 26-year-old has established himself as one of the best wingers not only in Italy but also in Europe.
After relatively quiet first two seasons, his breakthrough came during the 2021–22 campaign when he produced 14 goals and 12 assists, performances that earned him the league’s MVP award as Stefano Pioli guided the Rossoneri to the Serie A title.
Although the 19-time Italian champions have been unable to return to those title-winning heights in the years since, Rafael Leão has continued to perform at a consistently high level and played a significant role in Milan’s triumph in the 2024–25 Supercoppa Italiana.
However, he has come under scrutiny for several on-pitch scuffles this season, including tense exchanges with teammates, former coach Massimiliano Allegri and the Milanese fans after he was booed off during games against Atalanta and Udinese last season.
The scrutiny has led the winger to reveal that he wants ‘a new chapter’ away from Milan, with several clubs now showing interest.
Among the clubs looking to sign Leão are Man Utd and Arsenal, according to Schira, who claims that the Premier League duo have made enquiries over a deal to sign the Portuguese in the summer.
Leão open to Premier League switch
Despite having two years left on his contract at San Siro, a departure now looks imminent, with Schira adding that Leão is ready to leave Milan this summer.
Having played in the Portuguese, French and Italian leagues, the English league could be next in line, as the Italian journalist reports that Leão is open to a Premier League switch, with Arsenal and United now showing interest.
Leão netted just ten goals and provided three assists across all competitions last season, significantly lower than the 25 goal contributions he recorded in 2023/24 and the 29 he produced in 2022/23.
Still, he ranks highly in several key statistics, a testament to his world-class potential. In the recently concluded campaign, the former Lyon and Sporting wonderkid recorded an 83.7% pass success rate, created 23 chances and demonstrated his ability to initiate transitions with 77.8% accuracy on long balls.
However, his defensive output remains low, with just 18 defensive contributions for Milan last season, raising concerns about his fit into sides like Arsenal or United, who adopt a high-tempo style of play.
