Leo is eager to join Manchester United, revealing his dream of playing for the Red Devils! United has yet to make a move, fearing he might become another Rashford.

AC Milan forward Rafael Leão announced last week that he will leave the club this summer. According to *Gazzetta dello Sport*, the Portuguese international is eager to join Manchester United. However, the Red Devils' current focus is not on acquiring a winger, as Carrick needs to bolster the midfield first.

Italian transfer expert Fabrizio Romano confirmed that, unless a "crazy surprise" occurs, Atalanta's Ederson will join Manchester United. However, this transfer, worth less than £40 million, is just a "small fish" in the summer window. The club plans to sign two more midfielders, both of whom will cost more than Ederson.

Manchester United also aim to sign a new left winger, but that will depend on securing a permanent transfer for England international Marcus Rashford. Nevertheless, Leão's agent will not miss the opportunity to use United as a perfect tool to drive up his price. Whether or not he ultimately joins the Red Devils, Leão is destined to be linked with Carrick's team.

Before the World Cup, Leão announced his decision to leave AC Milan after seven years, despite the club offering him an ideal salary. "I am proud of the history I created at AC Milan, but I want to start a new chapter. I am ready to play in other leagues," Leão said in a statement. "I gave my all for Milan, but now it's time for a new challenge."

According to *Gazzetta dello Sport*, Leão and his team aim to attract as many suitors and offers as possible during this summer transfer window. Therefore, being linked to Manchester United helps achieve this goal, as the Red Devils are a guaranteed source of global football attention. Leão intends to continue playing at the highest level of European football, ruling out a move to the Saudi Pro League for financial gain.

The 26-year-old Leão has first drawn interest from the Turkish Süper Lig, with Galatasaray and Fenerbahçe both eager to sign him. However, Leão most wants to move to the Premier League and has publicly expressed his admiration for United. "I often watch the Premier League. I particularly like Manchester United because Cristiano Ronaldo is my idol. But I also follow Arsenal on TV," he said.

According to the *Daily Mail*, Manchester United have held preliminary discussions about signing Leão. Romano recently confirmed that, in addition to negotiations for Ederson, club officials have traveled to Italy to discuss many potential deals.

However, Manchester United have taken no concrete action. Since joining Milan from Lille in 2019, Leão has contributed 80 goals and 65 assists in 291 matches. The Rossoneri have set a €60 million price tag for him, but he could be signed for £35–40 million.

But British media emphasize that Leão is not one of Manchester United's priority targets. An insider said: "When you mention this rumor to people who know the situation and have attended recruitment meetings, they don't rate Leão highly and don't see him as a viable option. I think the left winger position is not as high on United's priority list as the midfield."

*Gazzetta dello Sport* also acknowledges that Manchester United are interested in Leão but have not taken formal action. Leão is a talented winger, but like United academy graduate Rashford, he has a reputation for laziness. Italian legend Paolo Di Canio once criticized his lackadaisical attitude and poor mental state.

In April this year, Milan suffered a humiliating 3-0 home defeat to Udinese, and the San Siro crowd expressed their dissatisfaction with Leão through deafening boos. He failed to make active runs and provided no effective defensive cover, leaving the team's defense exposed. Di Canio said: "A player might make 50 runs to get the ball, but Leão won't even make half of those runs unless he's sure he'll receive it. He doesn't want to run to create space for teammates because he doesn't know if he'll get the ball. Any forward, in any league, must work hard, and Leão is a player who almost always looks lazy when off the ball."

Similar to Rashford's devotion to his charity work, Leão's lifestyle has sparked increasing controversy since he helped AC Milan win the 2021/22 Serie A title and was named league MVP. He pursues comfort and indulges in music and fashion, draining his energy for football.

Di Canio continued: "Leão has slackened off. He's been pampered and lost the determination and desire to improve. His focus has almost shifted to other things. Over the years, I've never seen him attend so many fashion show videos or spend eight hours in recording studios with record labels. You always say we shouldn't interfere with players' private lives, but if a person spends four or five hours on other things, his body and mind will be drained. It's not like playing a PS game for half an hour. If you spend six or seven hours dealing with a record label and attending fashion shows, how can you recover your energy to reach your best competitive level?"

Some Manchester United fans even think that rather than signing Leão, they might as well bring Rashford back. Apart from his high weekly wages, Rashford might actually be stronger than Leão.