Manchester City keeping close tabs on AC Milan star

Manchester City's Spanish manager Pep Guardiola looks on from the touchline during the English Premier League football match between Manchester City and Everton at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, north west England, on November 21, 2021. - RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images) /

According to Sky Italia (h/t Calciomercato), Manchester City have been scouting AC Milan striker Rafael Leao for some time now.

Rafael Leao, 22, is into his third season with AC Milan having joined from Ligue 1 club Lille in the summer of 2019. The Portuguese forward has shown a lot of potential in his first two seasons at the club, but only in flashes. So far this season, however, he has improved and added more consistency to his game.

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In 19 appearances across all competitions, the 22-year-old has registered five goals and three assists and looks on course to better his last term’s tally. And Rafael Leao’s performances haven’t gone unnoticed, with Manchester City keeping close tabs.

Sky Italia (h/t Calciomercato) claims that AC Milan wants to renew Leao’s current contract—which expires in 2024—to 2026 and have already started negotiating with his entourage. To keep the Portuguese forward at San Siro, they are ready to double his salary from less than €2 million to €4 million but should the contract renewal talks collapse, Manchester City are waiting in the wings to take advantage, the report adds. (h/t Calciomercato)

The Sky Blues could lose Ferran Torres to Barcelona in January, with the player having already agreed to a five-year contract with the Blaugrana. It remains to be seen whether Pep Guardiola sanctions Torres’ exit in the upcoming transfer window but as the Spaniard is willing to join Barcelona, the Man City boss is unlikely to stand in his way.

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Also, with Raheem Sterling’s future at the Etihad Stadium in doubt following his struggles for game time this season, Milan’s Rafael Leao, in that regard, becomes a viable target for Pep Guardiola.

Leao is naturally a wide player but can also operate down the middle in the no.9 position, and such flexibility along with his pace, power, guile and dribbling skills make him a perfect fit in Guardiola’s system at Man City. If the Portuguese doesn’t get an acceptable renewal offer from Milan, the Sky Blues will likely find it easier to convince the player to join their forces next summer.

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