Barcelona are planning to submit a transfer offer to Italian club AC Milan for the acquisition of 25-year-old Portuguese forward Rafael Leão, according to Mundo Deportivo.
The Catalan club aims to turn to Leão following the unsuccessful transfer attempt of Spanish player Nico Williams from Athletic Bilbao.
As per the Barcelona outlet, the player's agent, Jorge Mendes, a close friend of Barcelona president Joan Laporta, is expected to play a significant role in facilitating the winger's potential move.
Leão is a product of the Portuguese club Sporting and has been with AC Milan since August 2019, after transferring from French club Lille. In the 2023/24 season, he made 47 appearances for the Italian team, scoring 15 goals and providing 14 assists. He also played 31 matches for the Portuguese national team in the recent Euro 2024, scoring four goals. His contract with the Rossoneri runs until the end of June 2028, with a transfer value estimated at €90 million by Transfermarkt.
Earlier reports indicated that 33-year-old German midfielder Ilkay Gundogan might transfer from Barcelona to Manchester City for free due to the challenging financial situation facing the Catalan club.