Aston Villa eye Rafael Leao as Jorge Mendes becomes decisive

Aston Villa are hunting for an attacking replacement after Morgan Rogers’ departure to Chelsea, and the club have set their sights on Portuguese winger Rafael Leao, whose agent Jorge Mendes is steering the potential move to England this summer as Milan look to cash in.

Milan, the Serie A side, are likely to part ways with Leao this summer, and the player has expressed a desire to move to England. Aston Villa have emerged as a possible suitor in the English market.

Sportmediaset, via Calciomercato, reported that the Portuguese winger is the key candidate to leave Milan this summer. The report underscores the agent’s role in shaping the transfer.

The Rossoneri have set a price tag of around €60 million for the sale. So far, no club has made a firm bid for his signature.

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Villa’s interest could be linked to their pursuit of fellow Portuguese Pervis Estupinan. The club sees both players as potential upgrades to their attacking options.

While no final agreement has been reached, discussions have moved closer to a deal for Leao at Villa Park. During talks, Leao’s name surfaced and Jorge Mendes is actively seeking a new club for the player. Mendes can present the Portuguese forward to Unai Emery’s side.

English clubs such as Tottenham and Manchester United have not made any in‑roads after initial contact, which has alarmed Milan. Milan’s growing desperation adds pressure to finalize a deal. The Rossoneri want to resolve the situation early to avoid a cheap sale.

Milan therefore prefer a convenient route by engaging with Aston Villa, who have been approached to take the Portuguese forward. The main obstacle remains agreeing on the €60 million fee and final personal terms.