Rome Transfer Market: Gasperini Ready to Revive a Near-Champion—Here’s Who It Is
Rafael Leao has caught Roma’s attention. The Milan forward’s profile is reportedly at the center of discussions between sporting director D’Amico and Jorge Mendes, who are said to have met in the capital in the last few hours. After finalizing the Rodrigo Mora deal—another player represented by the powerful agent—the Giallorossi are looking to add another offensive option to Gian Piero Gasperini’s roster. It was reportedly the Portuguese agent himself who suggested to Roma that they make a move for Leao, whose future at Milan remains uncertain.
The main obstacle is the financial investment required. The transfer fee would be around 45 million euros, plus a salary of nearly 7 million net per season. This deal would therefore be much more costly than the one being considered for Malick Fofana, whom Roma values at around 35 million plus bonuses.
On the Milan front, Leao’s situation has evolved significantly in recent hours. The Rossoneri are reported to have lowered their asking price for their No. 10: while the initial request was around 60 million euros, the club is now reportedly willing to consider offers ranging from 40 to 45 million. Gerry Cardinale is also expected to arrive at Milanello in the coming hours, where he may speak directly with the Portuguese player to clarify his position and assess the scenarios for the final weeks of the transfer window.
It should be noted that Leao’s position with the Rossoneri had already become delicate following the meeting between head coach Ruben Amorim and owner Cardinale: The Portuguese coach does not consider his compatriot an indispensable player and would not oppose his transfer, though he would have no problem keeping him on the roster should other outgoing transfers fail to materialize. Before the World Cup, Leao himself had publicly expressed a desire for a change of scenery, only to partially backtrack after the tournament.
D’Amico is reportedly still evaluating the situation, without ruling out the possibility of waiting to see how the transfer market develops before making a decision. Furthermore, at Trigoria, the idea of seeing Leao play under Gasperini is considered intriguing, based on the belief that the coach could fully unlock his potential.
Roma, however, is not the only suitor. Among the interested clubs, Simone Inzaghi’s Al-Hilal has re-entered the fray; they are reportedly ready to make a new bid after Leao had previously turned down the opportunity to move to Saudi Arabia during the World Cup. The Saudi club is reportedly willing to meet Milan’s financial demands and offer the player a salary of around 15 million euros per season: this time, the Portuguese forward might think twice before saying no. A return bid from Galatasaray cannot be ruled out either; the club had previously offered Leao a contract worth 12 million euros net per season—nearly double what he currently earns with the Rossoneri. The sticking point had been the transfer fee, but Milan’s reduction of the asking price could now seriously get negotiations with the Istanbul club back on track.
