Jorge Mendes has reportedly offered Rafael Leao, a target for Chelsea, to Real Madrid, who will unlikely sign him in the summer.
According to a report by Italian outlet Gazzetta dello Sport, Jorge Mendes has offered Real Madrid the chance to sign Rafael Leao in the summer transfer window. But Los Blancos will unlikely pursue the AC Milan talisman. Meanwhile, the 23-year-old is a target for Premier League club Chelsea.
Rafael Leao has come a long way since being a prodigious prospect at Sporting CP. After a promising stint with Lille, he landed at AC Milan a few years ago. And the Portuguese international has not looked back since then, establishing himself as a pivotal figure for his club and country.
The 23-year-old was the best player in the Italian top flight when AC Milan won the Serie A title. And despite his inconsistencies this season, he has a decent tally of nine goals and ten assists in 32 appearances. Meanwhile, Leao’s long-term future at San Siro is uncertain, with Chelsea among his prospective suitors. And Jorge Mendes has now offered the player to Real Madrid.
Real Madrid will likely enter the market for a versatile attacker in the summer transfer window. That is because Karim Benzema has faced fitness issues this season, leaving Carlo Ancelotti without a reliable striker. In addition, Eden Hazard and Marco Asensio face uncertain futures at Real Madrid.
While Hazard cannot buy any game time, Asensio is in the final few months of his Real Madrid contract. With at least one of the two players likely to leave, Los Blancos will have to scour the market for an attacker. So the offer to sign Leao might have come at the right time, especially with recent reports suggesting they are interested. But Chelsea will compete with them for the 23-year-old.
The interest from Chelsea is a tad bit surprising, considering the Blues’ recent investments. They have signed a lot of wide attackers and need to secure the services of a striker. And Leao will clash with Mykhaylo Mudryk and Raheem Sterling, who prefer to play on the left flank.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid will unlikely launch the offensive due to a similar reason as Chelsea’s predicament. With Vinicius Junior the undisputed first-choice left winger, Leao cannot start in his favoured position. So it will be interesting to see if some other club can offer him to step up in the summer.