Rafael Leao has emerged as a potential target for Chelsea this summer after confirming he will leave AC Milan, and Alejandro Garnacho might have just given BlueCo the tools to get the deal done.
Leao is a long-term target for Chelsea and BlueCo. In the summer of 2022, after Milan won the Scudetto, Chelsea made an £86m bid to sign Leao. Now, it is believed Leao can leave Milan for a whole lot cheaper.
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Chelsea have been linked with both this summer.
On the weekend, Leao confirmed he wants to leave Milan and Italy as a whole. Shortly after, reports said Leao had been offered to Chelsea with a £43m fee, half of the bid Chelsea made four years ago.
Clearly, Leao would be open to a move to the Premier League, but Chelsea’s lack of European football may prove an obstacle. But Garnacho might have just handed Chelsea the chance to get business done.
Garnacho hands Chelsea ideal chance to do a swap deal
Other clubs have been offered Leao’s services this summer, and that makes it even harder for Chelsea to get a deal done for the 52-time Portugal international. But Chelsea’s Garnacho might just change that.
Reports in Italy say that Milan are one of four clubs interested in signing Garnacho. The winger has failed to make an impact at Stamford Bridge since his arrival from Manchester United just 12 months ago.
Rafael Leao (R) of AC Milan looks on next to Joao Felix of
Photo by Nicolò Campo/LightRocket via Getty Images
With Milan interested in Garnacho, a move the Chelsea star would surely entertain, and Chelsea likely to be in the market for Leao given he is an experienced left winger, surely there is a deal to be done.
Chelsea bought Garnacho for £40m last summer but after such a disappointing season, that value is likely to have been reduced. A player-plus-cash deal for Leao may tempt Milan to reject any other offers.
Chelsea’s ‘volatile’ relationship with AC Milan
There have been many transactions done between Chelsea and Milan, though it is usually players going to Italy rather than the other way round. Milan boast many ex-Chelsea players at this moment in time.
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Marquinhos of Paris Saint-Germain celebrates
Photo by Sebastian Frej/Getty Images
Christian Pulisic, Fikayo Tomori, Christopher Nkunku and Ruben Loftus-Cheek are currently playing for the Rossoneri. Reports in Italy this week have described Chelsea’s relationship with Milan as ‘volatile’.
The current relationship is good thanks to a late deal for Nkunku last summer, but poor because of the Blues’ pursuit of Mike Maignan. Chelsea are still interested in signing the French goalkeeper from Milan.
If the two clubs can smooth things over, then a deal for Garnacho and Leao is possible. Both clubs are interested in either player, and with the addition of a small-ish fee, it makes sense to do business.
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