With Hakim Ziyech expected to leave Chelsea, the west London club will have to bring in a replacement for him and have identified AC Milan star Rafael Leão as the ‘ideal candidate’.
That’s according to Calciomercato, who then provide the Serie A side’s stance on the possible sale of the forward this summer.
Apart from the 24-year-old, Chelsea also looked at Serge Gnabry, but he ended up signing a new deal at Bayern Munich.
The Portugal international has two years left on his contract and the Rossoneri have been trying to tie him down to a new deal. The renewal talks haven’t taken off because his agent, Jorge Mendes, is demanding a deal worth €7m per year.
It may seem like an advantage for Chelsea, but a potential deal will be made difficult by the Italian champions. They have ‘no intention’ to offer discounts to Thomas Tuchel’s side or anyone else knocks on the club’s door for their star.
Leão has a €150m release clause and if Chelsea or someone else were to trigger it, then it will exclude Milan from negotiations. If not, the player will stay at the San Siro next term, even without a renewal.
Meanwhile, the Portuguese attacker took to Instagram to post a message: “New waves on the way .. warming up the engines for something big. We back!!”
This is seen, at least by Calciomercato, as the player’s commitment towards Milan, and at the same time, as a ‘blow’ for Chelsea.
Leão managed 11 goals and 10 assists from 34 matches in Milan’s title winning campaign last season.
