Liverpool and Bayern Munich Eye AC Milan's Rafael Leão, But Will Milan Let Their Star Winger Go?

The Battle for Rafael Leão Heats Up

As a football analyst with over a decade of experience covering top European leagues, I’ve seen my fair share of transfer sagas. But the emerging situation surrounding AC Milan’s Rafael Leão has all the makings of a particularly intriguing summer storyline.

The Current Landscape

According to reports from Italy’s TuttoMercatoWeb, both Liverpool and Bayern Munich have set their sights on the 24-year-old Portuguese winger. This comes at an interesting time for all three clubs involved:

年 Milan face potential departures of multiple key players (Theo Hernández, Tijjani Reijnders), making Leão even more valuable to their rebuild 年 Liverpool may need attacking reinforcements if Luis Díaz or Cody Gakpo depart 年 Bayern look to strengthen after a relatively quiet transfer window so far

Why Leão is in Demand

From a tactical perspective, Leão represents exactly what modern top clubs crave in a winger:

年 Pace and power: His explosive acceleration makes him lethal in transition 年 Versatility: Comfortable on either flank or through the middle 年 End product: 14 goals and 15 assists across all competitions last season

His contract running until 2028 gives Milan significant leverage in negotiations. As someone who’s analyzed Serie A extensively, I can confirm Leão has developed into one of the league’s most complete attackers under Stefano Pioli’s system.

The Premier League Appeal

Leão himself told Corriere dello Sport: “Every player wants to play in the Premier League…the competition there is very intense.” While diplomatically praising Serie A, his comments clearly signal openness to an English move.

The challenge for Liverpool - should they pursue this seriously - would be integrating him into their fluid front three. His skill set could potentially make him an ideal long-term replacement for Mohamed Salah when the Egyptian eventually moves on.

Verdict: A Complex Deal Ahead

Having studied Milan’s financial position and sporting project, I’d be surprised if they sell unless presented with an offer north of €100m. With multiple other players potentially leaving, Paolo Maldini will fight hard to keep his crown jewel.

This could develop into one of those classic transfer sagas where everyone wins except the fans’ patience. Stay tuned for more updates as this story evolves throughout the summer window.