According to latest reports, Chelsea have gained momentum in their pursuit of AC Milan attacker Rafael Leao, while rival suitor Paris Saint-Germain will supposedly turn their attention to other targets this summer.
The 24-year-old winger has been linked to the Blues for a number of years, and some London club officials would really like to sign him.
Chelsea are reportedly mulling a transfer for Leao at the end of the season. That should come as no surprise as well, as he is regarded as one of Europe’s finest players while playing at his peak.
At Chelsea, Leao’s offensive flair would undoubtedly be useful. The Blues have also put Raheem Sterling up for sale according to Football Transfers, so he may serve as his long-term successor.
To sign the Portugal international, Chelsea will need to pay a big transfer price, which will be challenging considering how much they’ve spent in recent transfer windows.
Leao’s signing is ‘no longer an aim’ for PSG this summer, according to sources from France that were reported by GOAL, opening the door for Chelsea to potentially make a move for him.
The winger’s contract has a release clause worth €175 million (about £150 million), which any potential suitors would probably need to meet in order to sign him this summer.
With Kylian Mbappe’s impending departure, PSG would have the money to pay that sum, but they will be concentrating on signing a new striker.
It’s unclear if Chelsea would be ready to match Leao’s £150 million release clause, but it’s probable that they would need to offload a number of players in order to approve the big money transfer.
