Liverpool make sensational swap offer for world class star

Carlo Garganese

• 27 Dec 2023 12:55 GMT
• 3 min read

Liverpool are preparing a sensational player plus cash swap offer for AC Milan superstar Rafa Leao.

That is according to French journalist Francois Plateau, who reports that Liverpool have identified Leao as the perfect belated replacement for Sadio Mane.

Mane departed Liverpool in the summer of 2022 for Bayern Munich and Jurgen Klopp feels that he has never been truly replaced.

Plateau reports that Liverpool are planning to offer money plus Luis Diaz for Leao in 2024.

Milan value Leao, according to Plateau, at around €90 million.

In reality, it is widely accepted among Italian journalists that it will take a big three-figure sum to prise Leao away.

Nevertheless, Plateau is insistent that Liverpool are ready to sacrifice Diaz, who has been hit by numerous injury problems since joining from Porto in 2022.

Leao signed a new five-year contract with Milan until 2028 earlier this year but his future remains in question at the end of the current season.

There is also believed to be a release clause in his Milan contract of around €170m, according to Gianluigi Longari.

Leao has attracted the interest of a host of top European clubs such as Chelsea, Man City, Man Utd and Real Madrid over the last year or so.

Leao was Milan’s key player as they won their first Serie A title in 11 years in 2021-22. He was named Serie A Player of the Year, scoring 14 goals and grabbing 12 assists in all competitions.

Last season he struggled to hit the same heights but he still played an important role as Milan reached the semi-finals of the Champions League.

This term Leao has also been inconsistent for a Milan team who were knocked out of the Champions League in the groups and are already out of the title race.