Arsenal are desperate to add some attacking firepower to Mikel Arteta’s squad this summer, and they may have a better chance of doing so after a recent rumour emerged.
The Gunners scored just 69 goals in the Premier League last season, 22 fewer than the previous campaign.
The likes of Kai Havertz, Gabriel Martinelli and Martin Odegaard all didn’t quite produce enough in front of goal, and thus, Andrea Berta’s priority this summer is providing Arteta with more offensive tools to conquer the league in the 2025/26 season.
Benjamin Sesko is being heavily linked with Arsenal, while Viktor Gyokeres is also understood to be on the Gunners’ radar.
However, a significant investment on the left wing could make all the difference for the North Londoners.
Arsenal could push for Rafael Leao after Jakub Kiwior and Oleksandr Zinchenko rumour
Arsenal may need to sanction a few departures before they can outlay a significant fee on a winger.
Thankfully for Berta, a European giant is showing significant interest in two of the Gunners’ players, both of whom the Italian is happy to sell this summer.
AC Milan want to sign Oleksandr Zinchenko and Jakub Kiwior, with a representative of the Serie A club flying to London last week to discuss a potential deal with Arsenal.
If the Gunners are able to sell both defenders to Milan, it should put them in a strong position to land Rafael Leao.
Not only will Berta have added to his war chest by selling two relatively valuable players, but he’ll also have established a healthy relationship with the Rossoneri.
The Portuguese winger wants to leave the San Siro this summer, and it’s been widely reported that Milan are willing to cash in on their prized asset.
Leao has a £150 million release clause, although he’s said to be available for a much lower fee, likely less than half of this outlandish price.
If Arsenal do sell both Kiwior and Zinchenko to the Italian giants, then they ought to leverage their positive bond with the club to sign the prolific wide man, who has netted 70 goals in 260 appearances for Milan.
Would Rafael Leao be the right signing for Arsenal?
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has described Leao as ‘incredible’ in the past, and his eye-catching talent certainly makes him an exciting option on the market.
Excellent at dribbling past opponents and carrying the ball, the 26-year-old has attributes that the Gunners could use in their predictable team.
| Leao’s Serie A Statistics 2024/25 | |
| Appearances | 34 |
| Goals | 8 |
| Assists | 8 |
| Shots per 90 | 2.56 |
| Expected Goals per 90 | 0.29 |
| Expected Assists per 90 | 0.24 |
| Key Passes per 90 | 2.25 |
| Successful Take-Ons per 90 | 2.29 |
| Progressive Carries per 90 | 4.77 |
| Tackles per 90 | 0.62 |
| Interceptions per 90 | 0.23 |
Creative, putting up good shot numbers and an expert finisher, there is a lot to like about Leao’s game.
That said, Arsenal’s pursuit of him should be entirely dependent on how low an offer Milan are willing to accept, as there are significant drawbacks.
Leao is a liability defensively and would undoubtedly hinder the Gunners’ press and general stability out-of-possession.
Arteta doesn’t tend to favour players who don’t give enough defensively, and thus, the Spaniard will likely need to be convinced by Berta about the signing.
If Milan are willing to drop the price below £70 million, then it may be worth the investment, but anything above that would be too excessive.
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