Man Utd and Man City going head-to-head for ‘absolutely devastating’ £83m winger

As another affluent team enters the battle, it has been reported that Manchester United and Manchester City intend to bid for Rafael Leao. The article also reveals how much AC Milan wants for the winger.

Since joining Milan from Lille in 2019, Leao has made a name for himself as one of the world’s top wingers. In 246 games in all competitions, the Portugal international has scored 67 goals and provided 52 assists for the Italian team, helping the Rossoneri win Serie A in the 2021–22 campaign.

However, this season has not been the 25-year-old winger’s best. Leao has made 36 appearances for Milan, scoring nine goals and dishing out seven assists.

According to Fichajes, Milan has made the decision to sell Leao this summer, and Manchester United and City are prepared to make a bid.

Given their poor campaign, Man City may decide to let go of Jack Grealish at the end of the current campaign.

According to reports, manager Pep Guardiola thinks Leao would be “the ideal player to give a new boost to the Citizens’ attack.” The reigning Premier League winners will need to replace Grealish.

Due to an even worse season, Manchester United is unlikely to even qualify for the European spots in the Premier League standings.

But in order to bolster his team in the summer, head coach Ruben Amorim has asked the Manchester United board to bring in a top player on the left flank.

The Man Utd board is “willing to make a substantial investment to meet the demands of the Portuguese coach,” according to the source. Milan is prepared to trade Leao, but the Serie A powerhouses demand €100 million (£83 million or $105 million) in transfer fees for the winger, who was called “absolutely devastating” by former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher on CBS Sports in April 2023, according to Fichajes.

Man Utd and Man City’s reported interest in Leao should be treated with caution until and unless it is confirmed by another, more trustworthy news source, as Fichajes is not one of the most trustworthy sources available.

It is hardly surprising, though, that Man Utd is being associated with Leao. In April 2024, La Gazzetta dello Sport reported that the Red Devils were among the teams interested in the winger.

It’s interesting to note that Man City has historical ties as well; in the summer of 2023, the Premier League team expressed interest in Leao. For Rafael Leao, Al-Hilal poses a threat to Manchester United and Manchester City.
It is commonly known that Barcelona and Chelsea are interested in Leao, but Manchester United and Manchester City are not the only teams vying for the Milan winger.

Fichajes claims that Al-Hilal, a Saudi Pro League team, is also expressing a strong interest in the 25-year-old.

The Saudi Arabian team is looking to get another elite player from Europe after Neymar left, and they think Leao fits the bill.

Al-Hilal could pay Leao’s transfer price and give him a greater salary package than the two Manchester clubs because the Saudi Pro League is extremely affluent.

Current Man Utd news: Amorim sack speculation, Casemiro blow
Although TEAMtalk is aware that the Premier League team would not have an easy time getting rid of the former Real Madrid midfielder, Manchester United wants to get rid of Casemiro this summer.

According to Rudy Galetti, our transfer correspondent, Casemiro is more likely to remain with Manchester United until 2026, when his £350,000-per-week contract ends.

Tony Cascarino, a former Chelsea striker, has pushed Manchester United to recruit Marc Guehi, a defender for Crystal Palace, this summer.

“Guehi is someone they should be looking at if Manchester United and INEOS are serious about the direction they are going in under Ruben Amorim,” Cascarino said in The Times.

“Guehi has already demonstrated that he can handle the demands of that position in the Premier League, and Lisandro Martinez and Luke Shaw have frequently struggled with injuries that have left them without a natural left-sided centre-back.”

According to a Spanish rumour, Amorim may be fired by Manchester United, and Xavi, the former head coach of Barcelona, is one of the potential replacements.

However, Man Utd and Man City will have to cough up a lot of cash to get a deal done with Milan.