Chelsea ready to exchange two stars in Raphael Leao deal

FT Desk

• Updated: 23 May 2023 08:55 CDT
• 3 min read

Chelsea are ready to throw two players into any exchange deal for Rafa Leao with AC Milan otherwise demanding €120 million for their Portuguese star.

Leao has been a revelation at Milan since swapping Lille for Italy in €35m 2019, and last season contributed 11 goals and 10 assists as the Rossoneri won the Scudetto for the first time in 11 years.

If form is temporary, class permanent, interest in Leao hasn't exactly calmed down this season with the 23-year-old boasting 10 goal-involvements from 11 games in Serie A and five from six in the Champions League.

READ: Potter impressed with ‘top player’ Leao amid Chelsea transfer links

Leao's contract at the San Siro runs until 30 June 2024, and the club's technical director Paolo Maldini won't let him leave lightly.

"I think Milan's the best place for Rafa to develop completely as a player, in my view," he said recently.

Leao is rated at €47m by Football Transfers' in-house algorithm but Milan are demanding more than twice as much - unless Chelsea are willing to throw some players into the deal.

"The intention would be to include wanted players," report Tutto Mercato. "One of them is no mystery: Armando Broja, the English striker of Albanian origin who is valued at €30m. Then there could be [Christian] Pulisic or [Hakim] Ziyech, who represent a lower cash consideration.

READ: Giroud is still better than any Chelsea striker

Rejuvination needed

Former Chelsea striker Olivier Giroud is the next-most prolific player at Milan this season with four goals and two assists in Serie A, but the Frenchman is 36, while fellow striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic - currently recovering from knee surgery is 41.

The signing of 21-year-old Broja would make sense from that point of view, but Pulisic and Ziyech, whilst not denting Leao's transfer fee as much, would be more direct replacements for the Portuguese.

Chelsea are also closing on a €60m deal for RB Leipzig's Christopher Nkunku. How he had Leao would both fit in at Stamford Bridge remains to be seen.