Manchester United have opted against recruiting AC Milan star Rafael Leao, despite his recent come-and-get-me plea.
The Portuguese attacker joined the Serie A giants in 2019 and went on to cement himself as the biggest attraction at the club with his ‘magical’ skills.
The 26-year-old’s time at San Siro reached its pinnacle in 2022, when he won the Serie A Player of the Year Award after guiding the club to its first Scudetto title in 11 years, but he has since fallen off his perch.
Man United snub Rafael Leao
Leao is currently coming off his most challenging campaign at Milan. Max Allegri insisted on fielding him as a striker in his 3-5-2 system, and he struggled to cope with his more central role.
The Portuguese international was repeatedly jeered off by his own supporters at San Siro in the final weeks of the campaign, which may have sparked his controversial statements about his desire to leave Milan.
The winger also proclaimed he ‘likes’ Man Utd, while revealing his intention to play in the Premier League.
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport (via Milan News), Leao’s entourage tried to fulfil his desire by offering him to United, but the Premier League giants turned down the opportunity.
The Italian source claims that a similar attempt was made with Arsenal, resulting in the same outcome. At this stage, Galatasaray are considered the player’s most adamant suitors.
How Leao’s decision could impact Marcus Rashford’s future at Man Utd
Over the past few days, some of the most reliable sources have agreed that Marcus Rashford could be reinstated into the Man Utd after 18 months on loan at Aston Villa and Barcelona.
As a right-footed left-winger, Leao could have been a like-for-like replacement for the England international. Therefore, one might argue that Man Utd’s decision to snub the Portuguese star could increase Rashford’s chances of staying at Carrington beyond the summer.
Nevertheless, it should be remembered that Man Utd have recently identified West Ham’s Crysencio Summerville as the main target for the left wing.
Hence, Rashford’s fate could be entangled with the Netherlands international, who will be seeking an exit from East London following the Hammers’ relegation to the Championship. There could be some developments on this front in the coming days, especially following the Oranje’s premature World Cup exit against Morocco.
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