Wright and Neville give Chelsea Rafael Leao verdict amid transfer interest

Chelsea retain an interest in AC Milan forward Rafael Leao ahead of the January transfer window. football.london has been told the Portugal international is one of a number of players on the club's radar, but a summer move is far more likely than one in the middle of the season.

The Blues have been interested in the 23-year-old winger for some time now, but with his contract set to expire in June 2024, the upcoming summer could be the perfect time to pounce. However, he remains in dialogue with Milan over extending his contract and recently admitted the talks have been "positive".

Leao told Gazzetta dello Sport: "I am happy and proud. I have to stay focused on the World Cup then I will speak with Milan upon my return.

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"Renewal? We already had a meeting with [Paolo] Maldini just before joining the national team, it was a positive meeting. Once I return to Milan we will discuss it better."

The Portuguese attacker joined AC Milan for £25million from French club Lille in 2019. Ever since completing the switch, Chelsea have been constant in their scouting of Leao – with several scouts at the majority of matches to analyse the talented winger.

Leao has a £127m release clause in his current deal at the San Siro, but Chelsea are hoping because they have waited this long, they may be able to force the asking price down with Milan worried about his dropping value. Any move for Leao would likely be alongside Christopher Nkunku, who is expected to join next summer from RB Leipzig.

Chelsea scouts will be pleased by what they saw from Leao in his late cameo for Portugal against Switzerland on Tuesday evening. Portugal thumped the Swiss 6-1, with Leao coming on in the 92nd minute but still managing to find the back of the net after being set up by Raphael Guerreiro.

Leao cut in from the left-hand side onto his favoured right foot and bent the ball past a stranded Yann Sommer. After the game, ITV Sport pundits Gary Neville and Ian Wright lavished praise on the Chelsea target.

"I really like him," Neville said. "I liked him when he came on in that first game [vs Ghana], he gave them more balance in those wide areas. He's been used as a sub tonight.

"[His goal was] a bit strange because you thought there had been a deflection. But it was a brilliant effort into that far corner."

"You know what it was as well? How dynamic he was," Wright continued. "He blast past the defender and then the composure to calm himself down and whip it into that far corner – it's a beautiful goal."

Former AC Milan midfielder Nigel De Jong was also full of praise for the winger: "He's so different to the other players they have. I've been watching him at AC Milan – he's been fantastic and they became champions, mainly because he is their star player.

"With Portugal, it takes time to get into that starting XI, but when he comes on, he makes an instant impact. Because of the size of him, he looks more like a wide receiver from American football than an actual winger!"

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