Milan Ready to Cash In on Leao as Tottenham Circle Restless Winger

Tottenham's hopes of landing Rafael Leao have received a timely lift, with transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano confirming that AC Milan are prepared to move the Portuguese winger on during the forthcoming window.

The north London side have already begun preliminary discussions about bringing the Milan flyer to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium under Roberto De Zerbi's management. Leao, currently featuring at the 2026 World Cup, has long been identified as a priority target for a club seeking attacking reinforcement.

While Leao's contract contains a €175million (£149.6m) release clause, Milan are believed open to negotiating a significantly lower fee—around €50million (£42.7m)—should a suitable offer arrive.

Romano's latest assessment suggests the Italian outfit view Leao as expendable despite the recent appointment of Ruben Amorim as manager. Speaking on his YouTube channel, the transfer authority explained: "After the World Cup, even after appointing Ruben Amorim, even after this Portuguese connection, even after the fact that Rafael Leao had some good moments at the World Cup so far, AC Milan keep considering Rafael Leao a player out of their long-term project."

He continued: "He remains a player available on the market, so get ready because movements around Leao could start soon, and the player is still considered in the exit list at Milan."

Romano noted that while Milan have invested substantially in Portuguese talent through Goncalo Ramos, they would nevertheless demand "important money" for a player still under contract. However, the club appear keen to facilitate an exit this summer, with the transfer door firmly ajar.

The contrast with Christian Pulisic could hardly be starker—the American is viewed as integral to Amorim's plans and untouchable, whereas Leao finds himself very much on the periphery.

For his part, Leao has made little secret of his desire for a fresh challenge. Speaking to Sport TV in Portugal in early June, the winger declared his readiness for a move: "I need a new challenge. I already won two trophies in Italy and have been there for a while."

He specifically highlighted the Premier League as an attractive destination, explaining: "The league is evolving, but for my style of football, I think the Premier League or LaLiga would make more of my talent, as a player. If a Premier League opportunity were to come along, I would be very happy. I think that I can put my talent up against the players there, who are of a very high level. Playing in that kind of a league really gets the best out of a player."

Spurs have also explored alternative options, with Manchester City's Savinho mentioned as a potential target following their previous pursuit of the Brazilian.