AC Milan are treating Rafael Leão as a player they can move on, and Tottenham have now been offered the chance to sign him. Fabrizio Romano has said Leao remains outside Milan's long-term project, while the player himself has talked openly about wanting “a new challenge”. Manchester United and Barcelona have only made initial enquiries, not formal negotiations.

Milan's position on Leao

Romano's read is the blunt one. Speaking to teamtalk.com, he said Milan still consider Leao a player out of their long-term project, and that his exit is a serious possibility. That sits neatly with Leao's own comments to sportsmole.co.uk, where he said: “I need a new challenge. I already won two trophies in Italy and have been there for a while.”

The fee side is not vague either. Milan are willing to sell for up to €70 million, with another report saying they will consider offers of at least €60 million. Leao is under contract at San Siro until 2028 and his deal includes a €175 million release clause, so this is still an expensive deal, just not an untouchable one.

Tottenham's opening and the rival interest

Tottenham finished 17th in the Premier League, so a move for a left-sided attacker of Leao's level would make football sense on paper. Spurs have been offered the chance to act, which is a better starting point than the position of the other suitors.

Manchester United finished 3rd, Barcelona finished 1st and both clubs have only gone as far as enquiries. That matters because it leaves Tottenham with a route into the conversation before the market hardens into something more serious. Leao has also said he would be happy with a Premier League move, which is exactly why this one has legs.

Leao's World Cup form helps explain why the interest is not going away. He has 1 goal and 1 assist in 4 appearances at the tournament, and his 6.9 rating across that sample is steady rather than spectacular. Even so, the combination of his words, Milan's stance and Tottenham being offered the chance to move makes this feel more advanced than standard summer noise.

Written by Daniel Hartley with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 5 outlets. How we work →