Italian giants AC Milan are actively trying to get rid of Rafael Leão this summer. According to reports from La Gazzetta dello Sport, relayed by Transfer Feed, San Siro bosses have pinpointed Aston Villa as a club with the financial muscle to take him off their hands. The asking price is floating around the €60m mark, but the media in Italy think Milan might even shake hands on €50m. That is a massive drop for a winger who used to command a staggering €175m release clause.

Aston Villa linked with cut-price move for AC Milan winger Rafael Leão

The connection between the sides makes a lot of sense. Negotiations were already happening between Villa and Milan over left-back Pervis Estupiñán, and that opened the door for these talks. Unai Emery desperately needs a new wide option. Morgan Rogers is completing a massive €130m switch to Stamford Bridge, leaving a massive hole in the attack.

Leão himself has openly stated he wants to leave Milan, and he is holding out for a move to England. He does not want Turkey. Saudi Arabia is completely out of the question too. Villa have not made an official bid yet, and things are strictly at the casual inquiry stage for now.

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Aston Villa’s Leão dilemma: T4O’s take

Paying €50m or €60m for a 27-year-old winger sounds like a gamble. Look at the numbers. He managed nine goals and three assists in 29 Serie A appearances last season. That is one goal every three matches. Milan finished a disappointing fifth in the league with him leading the line. Dive into the data and things look slightly more promising. He beat his 4.11 expected goals metric by a wide margin, and he clocked 366 metres per match sprinting at top speed. Even so, the basic return is incredibly average for someone once called one of the best in the world.

Age is another massive issue. Leão turns 27 this summer. You are not buying potential here. He is a finished product, and his current form is too erratic to justify that kind of transfer fee or the massive wage packet he will demand. Milan internal analysts pointed out some really worrying habits last year. He stays on the ball far too long, runs straight into crowded areas instead of passing early, and throws his arms up in frustration when defenders get physical with him. Emery runs a tight ship. His teams depend on tactical discipline and hard work. An inconsistent player who is prone to dropping his head simply does not fit into that dressing room.

The player does not even seem to want the move. Reports suggest Leão is looking at other Premier League options first, viewing Villa Park as a backup plan. Emery needs to walk away. Buying someone who treats your project as a safety net is a recipe for disaster. Villa do not need bad vibes. Not now. The squad just lifted the Europa League trophy, and they need players fully committed to a massive Champions League campaign.

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That Rogers windfall needs to be spent elsewhere. Alejandro Garnacho would likely cost less; he moves the ball quicker, and he already knows the Premier League inside out. Crysencio Summerville is another name on the radar who brings youth and a much higher ceiling. Both options make far more financial sense than throwing huge wages at an inconsistent Serie A player whose peak years are behind him. Emery is brilliant at uncovering hidden gems instead of chasing headlines. This Milan gossip is just noise.

Source: The4thofficial.net