Chelsea are expected to be one of the busiest clubs in Europe during this summer's transfer window.
One area Xabi Alonso will want to add to when he officially takes charge on July 1 is left wing. Alejandro Garnacho is expected to depart with the Blues recently slapping a £40 million price tag on him.
Because of Chelsea's stance on Garnacho, it comes as little surprise to see them interested in signing AC Milan's Rafael Leao as a possible direct replacement.
The 26-year-old recently confirmed he wants to leave the San Siro at the end of the season as he looks to take on a new challenge, possibly in England.
Chelsea among clubs interested in Rafael Leao
According to Calciomercato, Chelsea are one of several clubs monitoring Leao's situation ahead of what promises to be a fascinating summer for the Portugal international.
Leao has been one of Serie A's standout attacking players for several years and possesses many of the attributes Chelsea's attack has lacked at times over the last couple of seasons.
The Sporting Lisbon academy graduate has pace, power and the ability to produce moments of magic from nothing. That kind of unpredictability and excitement from wide areas is exactly what Chelsea have missed for years.
Whenever a player of Leao's calibre becomes available, Europe's biggest clubs inevitably begin circling, and with the Premier League likely to be his next destination, the player has responded to which clubs he likes most.
Blues not mentioned during Leao's recent interview
Speaking during a recent podcast appearance, Leao, as quoted by Goal, was asked about which English clubs he enjoys watching the most.
"I like Manchester United. I like United because my idol is Cristiano Ronaldo. So back then I used to watch them. And, yeah, I used to watch Manchester United. I like Arsenal also. Arsenal, yeah," he said.
Disappointingly, for any fan wanting to see Leao in west London, the winger failed to mention Chelsea.
Admittedly, just because Leao name dropped Manchester United and Arsenal doesn't automatically mean he'll end up at either of those two clubs, but it's definitely an indication of where his head is at.
Ultimately, it won't be childhood memories that decide where the wide forward ends up next. It'll be the project and playing time on offer... And of course how many zeroes are on the end of his salary.
During his time at AC Milan, Leao, who has 43 senior international caps for Portugal under his belt, scored 80 goals and provided 65 assists in 291 games in all competitions. He was part of the Rossoneri side that lifted the 2021-22 Serie A.
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