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Chelsea target Rafael Leāo will not renew his existing contract with AC Milan.
The 23 year old helped the Italian side win their first Scudetto in more than a decade last season, and has already scored 9 goals and provided 9 assists for them in all competitions this campaign.
He played in all five of Portugal’s matches at the World Cup, scoring twice, but he was mainly confined to cameo appearances off the bench.
His current contract in Milan ends in June 2024, but, although talks have started over an extension, they have now come to a halt because of his terms and conditions, with Leāo wanting more than the €7 million (£6 million) a year that the Italian side are ready to offer him.
And with Chelsea among the clubs waiting in the wings, the Serie A side may have a decision to make about whether it is now the best time to maximise the value of their asset.
Andy is an exiled English football fan living in Cyprus. He loves all sports but football is his abiding passion, and he still has dreams every now and then about scoring the winning goal in a Wembley Cup Final, even though his playing days are long gone. He follows most major leagues, across Europe at least, and has a favoured team in each. When he’s not watching, listening, reading or downloading podcasts about football, he spend his time worrying about his beloved Arsenal.