The final week of the transfer window could prove decisive for Rafael Leao’s future. After Galatasaray, who have been working on a deal for the Portuguese winger for weeks, Aston Villa have also reportedly made a move in recent hours to assess whether a deal is feasible. It is obviously still too early to speak of an advanced negotiation, but according to those at 'La Gazzetta dello Sport', the initial contacts have left room for talks to progress quickly. Milan continue to demand a total fee of between €40 million and €50 million.
The English club have the financial strength to get close to Gerry Cardinale’s asking price and, above all, can offer Leao two elite stages: the Premier League and the Champions League.
This is the main advantage over Galatasaray, especially as the Portuguese winger has always expressed his ambition to test himself in a top-level league such as the Premier League. Therefore, the Aston Villa option could prove particularly attractive to him. It remains to be seen whether the Villans will also be prepared to meet the player’s salary demands, but the feeling is that there should not be too many problems on that front either.
Galatasaray remain in the race for Rafael Leao, with a contract proposal worth around €12 million net per season for five years, almost double his current salary at Milan. However, an agreement with the Rossoneri has not yet been reached, and the Turkish club are also considering alternatives.
Leao will therefore have to choose between two very different paths: the huge salary on offer in Istanbul or the appeal of the Premier League.
Staying at Milan increasingly appears complicated, especially as Amorim’s football demands significant work off the ball and Rafa risks losing his central role in the hierarchy. The decisive week has begun, and the future of the No. 10 could genuinely change now.
