News Focus
- Rafael Leao confirms he follows the Premier League closely and has named his two favourite English sides
- The Portuguese winger says he supports Manchester United because his childhood hero is Cristiano Ronaldo
- Leao also expresses admiration for Arsenal ahead of a potential summer transfer
- The forward has rejected interest from Turkish clubs and the Saudi Pro League
- The Rossoneri ace looks certain to leave Italy after Milan failed to qualify for the 2026-27 Champions League
Rafael Leao has strengthened rumours of a move to England after revealing that Manchester United and Arsenal are his favourite Premier League teams. The AC Milan attacker appears ready to quit the Italian giants this summer following their failure to reach the 2026-27 Champions League.
The 26-year-old has enjoyed a successful seven-year spell with the Rossoneri, netting 80 goals in all competitions and lifting the Serie A trophy. However, a frustrating 2025-26 season saw the club slip out of the top four, despite spending much of the campaign in second position.
During an interview with the Cernucci Podcast, Leao admitted he watches English football regularly. When questioned about his preferred clubs, he grinned and stated: “I like Manchester United because my idol is Cristiano Ronaldo, so back then, I used to watch them.” He then added: “I like Arsenal also.”
Chelsea and Barcelona have also been linked with the versatile forward, who can play on either wing or through the centre. Despite this interest, Leao has turned down approaches from Galatasaray and Fenerbahce, as well as lucrative offers from the Saudi Pro League.
The full podcast episode will be released on Sunday, but these comments have already increased speculation about a switch to the Premier League. Milan may be forced to cash in on their star asset to offset the financial blow of missing out on Europe’s elite club competition.