Despite Chelsea appearing to have reached some kind of early agreement for the transfer of Christopher Nkunku, the idea that they could also continue their pursuit of Rafael Leao refuses to die down.
Milan facing the Blues in the Champions League on Wednesday also sets up a lovely narrative ahead of the game, which Corriere della Sera capitalise on Monday.
The newspaper, looking at how Leao and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia have started the season, recall the Serie A side ‘received several informal offers’ over the summer for their Portuguese star, with one of those certainly coming from Chelsea.
In fact, the Stamford Bridge side are said to be ‘ahead of everyone’ in the race to sign the 23-year-old, as he prepares to face his suitors in Europe’s biggest club competition.
However, it’s made clear the player ‘will not be sold’ for a fee of ‘less than €100m’, even with his contract expiring in June 2024, which is something Milan are trying to address with their attempts to renew him.
They do also need the player to want to continue playing at the San Siro going forward, but with no huge rush just yet, ‘this is a confirmation season for him’.
Corriere della Sera point out that he has ‘started off great’, with his four goals and four assists in Serie A to date, describing him as being ‘like Messi and Neymar’, who are also shining elsewhere in Europe.
We’ll have to see whether more attempts to lure him away are made in January by Chelsea, but they certainly will get a good look to watch him up close in the next few days.
