UEFA Champions League
AC Milan has surprised FC Barcelona with a proposal that could make waves in the summer market: a direct exchange between Rafael Leão and Ronald Araujo. The Portuguese forward, who had already been offered to the Catalan club at the end of the last summer transfer window, is back in the spotlight driven by the explicit desire of Massimiliano Allegri, the new coach of the Rossoneri.
As reported by MundoDeportivo, Allegri sees Araujo as the ideal defensive pillar for his new project, and Milan would be willing to include Leão in the deal to persuade Barça. Despite recently extending his contract until 2030, the Uruguayan center-back included a special clause allowing him to leave the club between July 1 and 15 for a fee much lower than his official release clause: 65 million euros.
The swap proposed by Milan could be quite feasible
At the Camp Nou offices, this possibility is being cautiously considered. The sports management is clear that reinforcing the left wing of the attack is a priority, with Luis Díaz being the number one target so far. However, Liverpool's refusal to negotiate could force the club to explore other options, such as Nico Williams, Marcus Rashford, and now Leão.
Barça's economic reality, constrained by financial fair play restrictions, necessitates generating income or reducing wage bills to make any significant signings. In this context, a swap like the one proposed by Milan could be a more viable way to strengthen the attack without a large direct investment.
Leão is highly rated, but Araujo is one of the key figures in the current project. In the coming days, the Catalan club will have to decide if they are willing to sacrifice one of their leaders to bring in a top offensive talent.
This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, El intercambio SORPRESA que el Barcelona tiene sobre la mesa
