AC Milan technical director Paolo Maldini has confirmed how much it'll cost clubs to prize away Rafael Leao this summer.
The Portuguese international was part of the squad that won the Serie A for the first time in 11 years as Milan returned to their glory days in the 2021/22 campaign. Still only 22, the future is bright for Leao and as a result, plenty of top European clubs have been linked with a move for him in recent months.
One of those clubs is believed to be Arsenal, who are quite clearly on the hunt for a striker this summer. Although Eddie Nketiah is reportedly set to complete a U-turn on his contract stance and re-sign at the Emirates, Alexandre Lacazette is on his way out after five years in north London.
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As Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang left the club in January, Nketiah would be the only recognised centre-forward left. Plenty of names have been touted as possible Lacazette replacements, including Manchester City's Gabriel Jesus and Napoli's Victor Osimhen. But Leao, who usually operates as a left-winger but can also play as a no 9, is another name worth keeping an eye on - or at least he was.
That's because Maldini has confirmed that he won't leave Milan unless a club triggers his enormous £127million release clause. As per Fabrizio Romano on Twitter, the former Italy centre-back told Gazetta dello Sport: "There's a release clause into Rafa Leao's contract worth €150million (£127million) but we consider him untouchable."
It's a lot to ask of Edu and co who are trying to navigate their way through an important transfer window at the Emirates. Leao's probably out of the Gunners' price range - for now at least - but stranger things have happened in football. Thus, whether we see him in the Premier League in the future remains to be seen.
