Liverpool will rival Barcelona for €50 million-rated Portuguese winger

A return of 11 goals and four assists across all competitions has made Milan’s Rafael Leao one of the most wanted commodities in European football. 

As quoted by the Italian publication Calcio Mercato, the Serie A side is now expecting a firm bidding war for the young Portuguese and Liverpool are the latest entrants in the list that reportedly consists of Atletico Madrid and Barcelona.

As the Blaugrana management continues to explore wingers’ market, Leao’s name was thought to be put on the table, but there are claims that he might as well look to extend his stay with the San Siro team if the offer is, in fact, considerate enough.

The 22-year-old still has a contract until 2024, meaning that Milan will look to coup as much amount as possible if the player is to depart. His valuation is quoted at €50 million, which is the only figure that the Rossoneri management will consider if a suitor is expecting any kind of approach.

As of today, Barcelona are only considering Leao as a stand by option. For Atletico, however, he is more than an option since Luis Suarez is most likely to depart at the end of the season. Those sitting in PSG’s offices are also monitoring the young Portuguese to replace a departing Kylian Mbappe.

Liverpool’s interest comes after their star forwards, Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane, have decided to stall contract negotiations with the team. The players see their ongoing contract running out in 2023 and there have been no advancements as of today.

Thanks to his versatility, Leao could be a handy option for any of the aforementioned suitors as he can not only play on the left but can also occupy the central areas. 

On Milan’s front, their only intention is to tie the 22-year-old on a long-term deal since the management has no issue with his performances whatsoever. The only issue is that the team needs to offer a good amount of salary hike to his present earnings of €1.4 million.

Player valuation in title obtained from transfermarkt.com on date of publication.