Barcelona is strategising significant roster changes in preparation for the upcoming season. As things stand, it appears likely that Robert Lewandowski and Marcus Rashford will depart the club. Lewandowski’s expiring contract won’t be renewed, and once Rashford’s loan spell concludes, the Englishman is expected to return to Manchester United.
The club hesitated for a long time over his future, but a disappointing performance in the two-legged tie against Atletico Madrid reinforced the belief that he isn’t the calibre of player needed. Instead of spending money on securing his permanent transfer, Barcelona plans to seek a new competitor for Raphinha on the wing.
At this stage, it’s still too early to name specific candidates for the role. According to “Sport,” Rafael Leao has expressed interest in joining the Catalan side.
The Portuguese forward is reportedly looking to leave San Siro at the end of this season. Feeling that he has reached a developmental plateau at Milan, Leao believes it’s the right time to explore new horizons, with a transfer to Barcelona being his ideal choice, as he greatly admires their style of play.
Leao has been on Barcelona’s radar in the past. Reportedly, club president Joan Laporta is a fan of the idea of bringing him in, although there has been little recent movement on this front. Barcelona has established contact with Jorge Mendes to inquire about the player’s current situation, but as of now, no concrete steps have been taken toward a transfer.
The Catalan club continues to monitor Leao’s circumstances and might make a move for him at a later stage. The potential transfer fee for the Milan star is expected to be around 50 million euros.