Leao to Chelsea update given by agent as AC Milan star mulls over move

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Former Torino defender Massimo Brambati has been told that Chelsea are in talks with AC Milan to sign Rafael Leao, who impressed in his two performances against the Blues in the Champions League this month. Brambati is now working as an agent, though he does not represent the winger.

Leao is represented by Portuguese superagent Jorge Mendes, who rose to fame for his work with Cristiano Ronaldo. The Milan star looks destined for a move in the coming campaigns, with Chelsea emerging as very keen on the 23-year-old in the latter stages of the summer transfer window.

However, the Serie A outfit were not willing to entertain any conversations about the forward given how important he is for the club and due to how late the approach was. Thus, Todd Boehly’s side are expected to return to Italy with a concrete offer in January, or in the summer if Milan do not want to suffer a significant blow to their squad midseason.

Speaking to TMW Radio’s Maracana, Brambati revealed that he had been informed that talks are underway. He said: “Renew Leao? They tell me they are working for Leao at Chelsea.”

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Chelsea were desperate to sign a winger over the summer, and the appointment of Graham Potter will certainly see them target that area of the pitch once more. Crystal Palace’s Wilfried Zaha and PSG superstar Neymar were linked over the summer with a move to Stamford Bridge, though speculation surrounding Leao suggests that he is Potter’s ideal signing, especially given his versatility in the final third.

However, Milan could be a tough nut to crack given that they have hopes of mounting a title charge and also progressing into the knockout stages of the Champions League. Technical director Paolo Maldini recently spoke about approaches that the Rossoneri have had for Leao, saying: “It’s true that clubs can chat, but we have not had any approaches after the transfer window closed.

“Now Rafa has to concentrate on this season and he’s doing it very well. We’d like to have the contract (extension) sorted before the World Cup, in fact, we had hoped to get it done six months ago, but we need the right conditions.

“Our idea is to get it done before November 12, then we’ll see what happens.” If Leao pens a new deal with Milan then his market value will, of course, soar, though that is unlikely to prove a deterrent for Chelsea given that Boehly is keen to flex his money-spending muscles in the Premier League and promised to back Potter in the transfer windows to come.

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