Chelsea leading the race to sign Portuguese international after he fails to agree new deal

Chelsea are now leading the race to sign AC Milan forward Rafael Leao after he failed to agree a new contract.

Scoring goals has been a problem for Chelsea this season. They currently sit in eighth in the Premier League table as Graham Potter looks to get a tune out of his new squad.

The likes of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Raheem Sterling were brought in during the summer transfer window, but both have failed to make a huge impact, so a new attacker could be targeted during the January transfer window.

A report from Sky Sports Germany (via Football Transfers) has claimed that Leao is unwilling to sign a new contract at AC Milan. The Portuguese forward reportedly earns around £28,000, a minimal figure compared to players currently competing at his level.

Now, journalist Dean Jones has claimed that Chelsea are leading the race to secure his signature.

“Chelsea have great interest in Leao and there is some hope over landing him, especially after he briefly followed them on social media the other day! But Milan are so desperate not to lose him right now because replacing him will be hard. Chelsea are the frontrunners, though, if this opens up. We will have to see how this goes over the next couple of weeks,” said Jones, speaking to GIVEMESPORT.

Armando Broja was recently ruled out for the season after sustaining a knee injury, so Chelsea’s plans to sign a forward could now be accelerated. Leao is predominantly a winger but is capable of playing through the middle