Chelsea watching 23-yr-old forward closely, confident of signing him in summer

Posted Thursday, November 17, 2022 by Caughtoffside.com

Chelsea were linked with a move for the AC Milan forward Rafael Leao at the start of the season and the Blues remain keen on signing him in the summer.

According to a report from 90 Min, the Premier League giants are watching the 23-year-old Portuguese international closely and they are confident of luring him to Stamford Bridge in the near future.

AC Milan are hoping to tie him down to a long-term contract and that could be a major blow for the Blues. They want to make him the highest-paid player in the division.

Leao has been a key player for Milan over the past year and he helped them win the Scudetto last season. He has been in sparkling form this season as well with seven goals and nine assists across all competitions.

The 23-year-old is a natural winger who operates from the left flank. However, he can play as a centre forward as well. Chelsea are in desperate need of someone like him.

Kai Havertz, Christian Pulisic, Hakim Ziyech and Raheem Sterling have been underwhelming this season and summer signing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang hasn’t exactly set the league on fire.

Graham Potter needs a versatile forward who can score as well as create chances. Leao seems like an ideal fit.

The 23-year-old has the physical and technical attributes to thrive in the Premier League but he is not going to come cheap. The Blues might have to fork out a premium for him in the summer. However, a contract extension with Milan could complicate matters as far as a summer move is concerned.