It is no secret that Chelsea are on the hunt for attackers. After throwing in the towel in their pursuit of Everton starlet Anthony Gordon, the Premier League giants have reportedly turned their attention to one of the most highly-rated Serie A players.
That man is none other than Rafael Leao, the Portuguese ace who played a crucial role in AC Milan's Italian top-flight success last term. While the 23-year-old is not a striker, which is what the Blues urgently need, Tuchel has also been on the hunt for a winger.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been linked with the London giants, but that's not all, as Chelsea reportedly hold interest in Crystal Palace ace Wilfried Zaha, who also plays out wide. According to the rumors, Leao has been a long-term target and thus the club have stepped up their interest in the former Lille player.
In fact, according to the Times, Chelsea are already in talks for the San Siro talent as they attempt to continue their summer spending spree. Despite having spent just over $300M so far on the likes of Koulibaly, Sterling, Cucurella, and—most recently—Fofana, Boehly and Co. look to bring Leao to Stamford Bridge before the transfer windows shuts.
It should be noted, however, that landing the Portuguese attacker won't be easy as the Rossoneri value him highly. Some sources claim he could cost more than $100M while others put his price tag way higher at $146M.
Nonetheless, due to Chelsea's late interest in the AC Milan ace, the Scudetto holders are now being linked with a Premier League talent in return, with that player being a highly-promising winger in the English top-flight.
That footballer is none other than Gabriel Martinelli, the beloved Brazilian starlet at Arsenal. The 21-year-old quickly became a fan favorite upon moving to the Emirates Stadium and has been a key figure in the Gunners' strong start to the 2022/23 campaign, scoring twice in the first four games.
However, the player's contract ends in 2024, meaning Arteta and Co. could find themselves in a tricky spot should they fail to extend his deal by next summer as he will have only a year left on his contract. Milan's alleged interest in Martinelli comes courtesy of Calciomercatoweb (as per Football365), with the Italian outlet claiming that the north London giants value the attacker at $40M-$50M, which is on the lower side, meaning this should be taken with a pinch of salt.
