AC Milan has accepted a €45 million offer from Turkish club Galatasaray to sign Portuguese forward Rafael Leão, while Aston Villa is also seeking to secure the player's services during the current summer transfer window.
According to "The Athletic," Leão has not yet made a final decision regarding his future, despite ongoing negotiations with Aston Villa. The English club has not submitted an official offer to Milan so far but is keen on acquiring the player on loan with an obligation to buy, whereas the Italian club prefers to finalize a permanent sale this summer.
Leão is being offered a net annual salary ranging between €10 million and €12 million should he move to Galatasaray, while renowned agent Jorge Mendes is managing the negotiations and exploring the next step in the player's career.
Earlier, "The Athletic" revealed that talks had taken place between Aston Villa and Leão, with the English club believing the player is open to joining their ranks this summer.
The 27-year-old Leão is under contract with Milan until the summer of 2028. Last season, he featured in 31 matches across all competitions, scoring 10 goals and providing 3 assists.
The Portuguese winger excels playing on the left flank, though he was utilized more frequently as a striker under former coach Massimiliano Allegri, who has since departed the club and been replaced by fellow countryman Ruben Amorim.
Over seven seasons in Italy, Leão has participated in 291 matches, recording 80 goals and 61 assists, establishing himself as one of Milan's most prominent attacking assets in recent years.
Aston Villa's interest in signing Leão comes despite the club nearing a deal for Nicolas Jackson from Chelsea in a transaction potentially worth £65 million, alongside the anticipated departure of Ollie Watkins to Al-Hilal for £50 million.
Unai Emery, Aston Villa's manager, aims to continue strengthening his attacking line, especially given the significant changes to the squad roster this summer, including the departure of several players, while goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez's future remains undecided.
Aston Villa currently has six new players on its roster, including Zion Suzuki, Matteo Ruggeri, João Gomes, and Yohan M'Zembi on permanent deals, alongside Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Alejandro Garnacho on loan.
