According to TuttoMercatoWeb, Manchester City and Chelsea are set to battle it out to sign £105 million rated AC Milan forward Rafael Leao.
Leao has been in fantastic form for the Rossoneri this season, scoring six goals and providing nine assists in 17 games in all competitions.
The Portuguese winger has attracted interest from all over Europe with his performances. Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City and Graham Potter’s Chelsea are also interested in the player.
The Blues are currently ahead in the race for Leao. They might also include players like Christian Pulisic, Hakim Ziyech, or Armando Broja in the deal for the Portuguese winger.
The Cityzens, meanwhile, sold Raheem Sterling to the Blues in the summer. They are yet to land a replacement for the player. Given Leao’s attributes, he might fit the bill perfectly.
Leao has 18 months remaining on his contract with AC Milan. The club might be tempted to listen to offers before his contract runs out rather than lose him for free.
The Portuguese forward joined Milan from Lille in 2019 and has since registered 33 goals and 30 assists in 132 matches for the club.
Chelsea star Denis Zakaria reacted to finally making his Chelsea debut
Denis Zakaria finally made his debut for the Blues after his summer loan move from Juventus against Red Bull Salzburg on November 3.
The Blues won the UEFA Champions League game by a scoreline of 2-1. Zakaria scored the second for Graham Potter’s side. The Swiss midfielder was happy with his performance as he told the media after the game (via chelsea.com):
“It was very exciting and I’m very happy for that debut and for the goal, My mind was only that I have to score! I shot as hard as possible and it went inside, so I’m really happy. It was important for me to play good, to do a good game and to help the team to win. The job is done and I’m really happy about that. It was an amazing debut for me. I’m proud.”
Zakaria received applause from the fans while coming off the pitch and he was elated to receive that kind of reception from the fans. He said:
“It was an amazing feeling, It was really cool for me to have this experience. The Chelsea fans are amazing, and I hope I can have a lot of games in front of them. I always want to play, that’s normal, ‘It’s been very, very difficult, I have to say.”
He added:
“When you have to see your team-mates on the pitch and you’re on the bench, it’s not so easy. But I was always behind the team. I was waiting for my chance, and when it came I’m happy I helped the team to win and I scored a goal.”
Chelsea will next host Arsenal on Sunday, November 6.