AC Milan have accepted a €45million (£38.5m) package from Galatasaray for forward Rafael Leao, who has been offered an annual salary of €10-12m net by the Turkish club.Leao is yet to decide his future, with Aston Villa also in discussions for the Portugal international. Villa are still to make a firm offer but are pushing for a loan with an obligation, while Milan prefer a permanent sale this summer.
Leading agent Jorge Mendes is fronting the process to find Leao a new club.
The Athletic reported on Wednesday that Villa were in talks for Leao, and believe his preference is to join them this summer.Leao, whose contract runs to 2028, featured 31 times in all competitions for Milan last season, scoring 10 goals, as the side finished fifth in the table and qualified for the Europa League. Typically a left winger, he mainly operated as a striker under former Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri, who has been replaced by Leao’s compatriot Ruben Amorim.The 27-year-old appeared in all five of Portugal’s World Cup games this summer, recording one goal and one assist as they exited in the round of 16 to eventual winners Spain.Leao came through the academy of Portuguese side Sporting CP, making his senior debut for the side in February 2018 as an 18-year-old. He joined French club Lille on a free transfer in the summer of that year, helping them to achieve a second-place finish, before making the move to Milan in August 2019.Leao featured 31 times in all competitions for Milan during the 2025-26 campaign, providing 10 goals and three assists.In total, the forward has made 291 appearances over seven seasons in Italy, scoring 80 goals and providing 61 assists.On Wednesday, Villa agreed a deal worth a total package of £65million to sign striker Nicolas Jackson from Chelsea.Despite the proposed arrival of the forward, Villa want further attacking reinforcements after finalising the departure of Ollie Watkins to Al Hilal in a £50m transfer.Villa have undergone a summer of significant change with Morgan Rogers, Youri Tielemans, Ezri Konsa and Lucas Digne all departing Unai Emery’s squad, while the futures of Emiliano Martinez is also uncertain and Watkins is set to depart.Neither featured in Sunday’s opening-day four-goal loss at Brighton & Hove Albion, with Watkins later apologising to his team-mates for missing the game.The club have added six players to Emery’s first-team squad, with goalkeeper Zion Suzuki, left-back Matteo Ruggeri and midfielders Joao Gomes and Johan Manzambi all joining on permanent deals, with right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka and forward Alejandro Garnacho also arriving on loans.
