Arsenal have been offered the chance to sign a highly-rated forward amid their historic Premier League title triumph, according to reports.
Arsenal clinch first Premier League title in 22 years
The champagne is flowing in north London.
After 22 years of agony, near-misses and heartbreak, Arsenal are Premier League champions.
Arsenal fans celebrate Premier League title win
Kai Havertz's thumping header against Burnley on Monday night took the Gunners to 82 points, and when Man City could only draw 1-1 at Bournemouth the following evening, the wait was finally over.
The first title since the Invincibles of 2003/04. Three consecutive second-place finishes washed away in one glorious moment. Mikel Arteta, in tears on the touchline, had done what many thought impossible.
There is still more to come. A Champions League final against PSG in Budapest on May 30 offers the chance to complete an historic double, and a final-day trip to Crystal Palace on Sunday will see the squad celebrate with the travelling support before the trophy lift.
Arsenal's Bukayo Saka, Arsenal's Cristhian Mosquera, Arsenal's Martin Zubimendi, Arsenal's Noni Madueke, Arsenal's Ethan Nwaneri and Arsenal's Myles Lewis-Skelly line up Related
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He's a clear fan.
It has been a season of set-piece dominance, defensive resilience and a collective spirit that refused to crack even when the pressure was at its most intense.
But even champions need to improve, and one opportunity that has landed on Arsenal's desk this week deserves more thought than it has apparently been given.
Arsenal offered AC Milan star Rafael Leao
According to Gianluigi Longari of Sport Italia, AC Milan have offered Rafael Leao to a number of Premier League clubs in recent weeks, with Arsenal among those approached over a potential deal.
AC Milan's Rafael Leao reacts before the match
However, the club haven't shown any willingness to explore it further thus far.
Barcelona monitored the 26-year-old Portuguese international for months before also deciding not to proceed. As things stand, Leao's future at the San Siro remains in limbo.
The reasons for Milan's willingness to sell are well documented.
rafael-leao-ac-milan-serie-a
Leao's relationship with manager Max Allegri has been poor throughout a difficult season. The Italian has deployed him in positions far removed from the left-wing role where he is most devastating — the kind of wide, direct, dribbling threat that terrorises full-backs and creates space for those around him.
Longari reports that the feeling is mutual, and if Allegri stays, the two parties could part ways.
Leao's numbers this season — nine goals and three assists in 28 Serie A appearances — do not leap off the page, but they need context.
He has been played out of position, missed games through multiple injuries and the team around him has underperformed at times, with rivals Inter having run away as Serie A champions a long time ago.
At his best, Leao is one of the most explosive wide forwards in European football.
His dribbling is elite, his acceleration terrifying, and his ability to produce moments of individual brilliance from nothing is the kind of quality that separates good teams from great ones.
Alessandro Florenzi has also described Leao as a "mix between Neymar and Mbappe".
AC Milan's Rafael Leao celebrates scoring their second goal
Arsenal's left flank could oversee major change, with Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard among the Gunners stars who could reportedly depart this summer, so there may be space for Leao in Arteta's side.
With a contract running until 2028 and Milan potentially willing to negotiate, the financial proposition may be more favourable than it first appeared, as reports previously suggested Leao was valued at around £70m.
The frostiness of Arsenal's initial response is understandable.
They have just won the league, they have a settled squad, and the last thing Arteta needs is a player who brings baggage from a difficult season in Italy.
But football moves fast, and the best recruitment decisions are often the ones that look counterintuitive at first glance.
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He's assisted 27 goals this season...