Man Utd target Rafael Leao as AC Milan slash price to £43m

Manchester United have reportedly added AC Milan winger Rafael Leão to their summer shortlist, with the Portuguese star potentially available at a significant discount following Milan’s failure to secure Champions League qualification.

Leão first arrived at the San Siro from Lille in August 2019 for an initial €23 million, a deal supplemented by performance-related bonuses. While his early tenure was defined by a period of adaptation, culminating in a modest seven-goal haul during the 2020–21 campaign, his true breakthrough arrived the following season.

During that 2021–22 campaign, Leão registered 14 goals and 12 assists, serving as the primary catalyst for Milan’s first Scudetto in eleven years.

Now 26, the forward is being closely monitored by United officials as Milan grows increasingly receptive to a sale. Although Leão’s current contract runs through 2028 and contains a €175 million release clause, that figure is widely viewed as prohibitive in the current financial climate.

Consequently, reports from both Italy and England suggest the Rossoneri are prepared to accept a substantially lower fee to balance the books. According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Milan may be willing to sanction a departure for a figure in the region of £43 million.