Rafael Leao has told AC Milan he wants a new challenge in a different league, with the Serie A side now willing to sell the 27-year-old winger for a fee in the region of £51-60m, according to Sky Sport Italia.
The Portugal international, currently at the World Cup, is Manchester United’s long-standing forward target. United, yet to make a signing this summer under new head coach Michael Carrick, are expected to prioritise midfield reinforcements first – with Atalanta’s Ederson lined up for a £35m move that will not be confirmed until after Brazil’s World Cup campaign ends.
“AC Milan set £51-60m price for Rafael Leao as winger tells club he wants a new challenge”
But with Casemiro having left and Manuel Ugarte sidelined by a long-term injury, Carrick needs at least one new midfielder. The forward line remains an area of importance, and Leao has made clear he wants to leave Milan.
“I think I gave Milan everything I could give,” Leao told Sport TV. “It is a club that helped me grow a lot and supported me through difficult moments. I am happy to have left my mark on the club’s history. Everyone has their dreams, their challenges, the things they want, the goals they want to achieve. And I also want to take on a new challenge in a new league.”
Milan settled Leao’s representatives’ demands in a recent meeting and would be open to letting him go on loan with an obligation to buy next summer, though they prefer a permanent sale. The £51-60m price tag would represent a healthy profit on the £42.4m they paid Lille for him in 2019.
Meanwhile, United goalkeeper Dermot Mee has accepted a new two-year deal to stay at Old Trafford. The 23-year-old’s contract had expired this week but fresh terms were offered. Mee is yet to make a first-team appearance for United; he has played 27 times for the Under-21s and had four appearances for Altrincham in the National League during the 2022/23 season.
With Carrick still waiting for his first signing, the Leao saga adds another layer to a window that will also be shaped by Ederson’s availability. The question now is how quickly United can move to secure either target.