Leao reveals Man United affinity as AC Milan forward linked with £43m summer move

Rafael Leao has named Manchester United as his favourite Premier League club, adding fuel to speculation linking the AC Milan forward with a summer move to Old Trafford at a reported fee of around £43m.

Speaking on the Cernucci podcast, the 26-year-old Portuguese winger was asked which Premier League side he follows. “I like United because my idol is Cristiano Ronaldo, so back then I used to watch them,” Leao said. “I like Arsenal also.”

The admission comes as Milan’s failure to qualify for European football is said to have lowered Leao’s asking price significantly. The forward has scored 60 goals in 291 appearances for the Italian club and would represent a considerable addition to United’s attacking options as they prepare to return to the Champions League.

United are not alone in their reported interest. Chelsea and Barcelona have also been linked with the winger, while Galatasaray and Fenerbahce have explored a move. However, recent reports suggest Leao has no desire to move to Saudi Arabia or Turkey.

United manager Michael Carrick guided the club to a third-place Premier League finish and has spoken openly about the need to strengthen the squad this summer. “As a football club, you want to keep moving forward,” Carrick said. “With certain players leaving, there’s a bit of work to do.”

The club are already close to completing the signing of Atalanta midfielder Ederson for £38m and are understood to be actively seeking a new winger to bolster their depth ahead of European competition. Whether Leao’s stated affinity for United translates into a concrete transfer move remains to be seen, but the combination of his reduced valuation and United’s stated ambitions makes the link difficult to dismiss.