In a shocking report from Calcio Mercato, Manchester City are ready to offload their £100 million signing from last summer Jack Grealish to AC Milan in order to acquire the services of their talented winger Rafael Leao. Since his hefty move from Aston Villa last summer, Grealish hasn’t quite lived up to his price tag in Manchester. Although manager Pep Guardiola continues to back the club-record signing through his ‘lengthy’ rough patch, the City group might just move on from him next summer.
Meanwhile, Rafael Leao is a man in demand as many of Europe’s giant poachers are lining up to acquire his services. His current employers Milan too are working closely with the player’s representatives to extend his stay at the club which expires in the summer of 2024. Despite having 18 months to calmly sit down and proceed with the negotiations, Milan are rather in a hurry to extend Leao given the number of clubs circling around him.
Milan concerned with two key reasons on proposed Jack Grealish deal
Jack Grealish’s fall from grace has been a tumultuous one since joining City for a club-record fee. His glaring CV at Villa, where the winger managed an impressive 32 goals and 43 assists in 213 appearances lured the English champions into investing an outrageous amount of £100 million in him to avoid competition from the likes of Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool who were interested in the 27-year-old as well.
However, City’s move has massively backfired as despite a system where Grealish can actually flourish, the England international has only managed a disastrous 7 goals and 6 assists in 57 games for the club. While his debut season was indeed a tough one, with the likes of Raheem Sterling and Phil Foden in front of him in the pecking order, City got rid of Sterling this summer to create space for Grealish.
But the winger is still struggling to produce, with a mere 1 goal and 2 assists in 17 games this season. It seems City have accepted the fate that the ‘Villa-version’ of Jack Grealish is never going to turn up at the Etihad and hence getting rid of him is the only way they can sustain damage-control. Leao is their priority target who plies his trade in the same position as Grealish.
Milan, however, are not satisfied with City’s proposed Grealish-Leao swap deal due to two key reasons. Although the Premier League side is ready to pay a handsome fee on top of sending Grealish to Milan for Leao, the defending Serie A champions feel the City winger’s hefty wages of £15 million per-year are too much for their financial books. Secondly, Grealish, 27, is four years older than Leao,23, who is key to Milan’s present as well as future project.
These two factors considered, Milan believe its not in their best interests to give up a young, talented winger who is firing on all cylinders for the one who is firing blanks in his prime. Leao has continued his blistering form this season, after recording a staggering 14 goals and 12 assists in 42 games in all competition for the club. The Portugal star has backed his form this season as well, netting 7 goals and providing 9 assists in 20 outings.
City will have to find a solution for these hurdles if they are to beat the likes of Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United for Leao. Chelsea had even submitted a bid for the winger during the summer window, whereas Arsenal and United are trying to shape their newly-found interest in the player by holding initial talks. On the other hand, Milan too re growing confident that they can seal his extension before the next summer transfer window, avoiding him from leaving the club.