Chelsea are back in action in the Premier League this evening as they take on Arsenal at The Emirates in the hope of moving up to seventh in the division.
A win would send them above West Ham United and Manchester United, on goal difference, and closer to securing a place in the Europa League or Europa Conference League for next season.
Whilst the full focus from Mauricio Pochettino and the current group of players will be on their remaining league matches, having been knocked out of the FA Cup by Manchester City on Saturday, those behind the scenes will already have one eye on the summer.
The upcoming transfer window will provide the Blues with another opportunity to make changes to their playing squad, with incomings and outgoings at Stamford Bridge to ensure that they are back to competing for major honours in the 2024/25 campaign.
Chelsea's interest in £151m attacker
According to Italian outlet Gazzetta, Chelsea are one of the clubs interested in a possible summer swoop to sign AC Milan superstar Rafael Leao.
The report claims that there may be a debate within the halls at Milan as to whether they decide to cash in on the Portugal international and reinvest the money across their squad, or to keep hold of him and hope that their next manager – with Stefano Pioli due to leave in the summer – can get the best out of the attacker.
It states that there is a clause within his current contract with the Italian club that would allow a team to enter negotiations for a staggering fee of €175m (£151m).
That would be a club-record signing for Chelsea, who snapped up Enzo Fernandez for £106.8m from Benfica and Moises Caicedo for £115m from Brighton & Hove Albion last year, and represent another significant investment from Todd Boehly and his team.
Gazzetta claims that the Blues and fellow Premier League giants Manchester United are both keeping tabs on the situation, and are following Milan's movements in the hope that the Portuguese star becomes available in the upcoming summer transfer window.
The report also reveals that Chelsea are long-term admirers of the former Lille starlet, as they have tracked his progress over the course of a number of years.
It also states that a summer transfer could come down to what Leao wants and whether or not the attacker is willing to push for a transfer to the Premier League, or if he would rather remain in the Serie A with Milan for now.
There is also no mention of whether or not the Blues or the Red Devils are prepared to pay the £151m clause needed to secure his services, or if they would look to negotiate a lower fee with the Italian giants ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.
If Boehly can get a deal over the line for the powerful forward, though, then he could land a big upgrade on Pochettino's current left winger Mykhailo Mudryk.
Mykhailo Mudryk's form for Chelsea
Signed from Shakhtar Donetsk for a staggering £88.5m in January of last year, the Ukraine international has endured a difficult time in London thus far.
The 23-year-old attacker has produced six goals and four assists in 52 appearances in all competitions for the club over the last 16 months or so.
His return of four goals and four assists in 40 Premier League outings – one goal contribution every five games on average – is hardly befitting of an £88.5m-rated forward.
Appearances
25
Starts
12
Goals
4
Assists
2
Big chances created
5
As you can see in the table above, Mudryk has not provided consistent quality in the final third in the Premier League so far this season for the club.
His lack of starts also suggests that Pochettino does not yet trust him to start matches on a regular basis in the top-flight, and the speedster has not chipped in with enough goals and assists to change the manager's mind.
Meanwhile, Leao, who is only one year older than Mudryk, has been a terrific performer for Milan in the Serie A over the last three seasons, and could be a big upgrade on the Ukraine international.
Why Rafael Leao would be an upgrade on Mykhailo Mudryk
The 24-year-old star has the quality to make a significant impact in the final third with his ability to score and create goals from a left wing position, having proven himself in a major European league.
Analyst Ben Mattinson described the Milan whiz as "clinical" and that is backed up by his form in the Serie A during the 2022/23 and 2023/24 campaigns.
He has scored seven goals from an xG (Expected Goals) of 6.63 this season, after a fantastic return of 15 goals from an xG of 10.86 in the division last term.
This shows that the Portuguese dynamo is ruthless in front of goal and has made the most, and then some, of the chances that have been created for him by his teammates.
Appearances
34
35
29
Goals
11
15
7
Assists
8
8
8
Big chances created
6
15
16
Key passes per game
1.3
1.4
1.9
As you can see in the table above, Leao has consistently produced goals and assists at an impressive rate over the last three seasons in the Serie A, and has been at his best as a creative threat this term.
Talent scout Jacek Kulig once hailed the mercurial playmaker as a "difference-maker" for Milan and his statistics, which include three goals in six Europa League games this season, back up that high praise, as he has been a match-winner for them with his seemingly constant stream of goal contributions.
Whereas, Mudryk has failed to deliver consistently with goals or assists in the Premier League since his big-money money to England over a year ago.
Therefore, Leao could come in as a big upgrade on the winger due to his proven quality in the final third, at a similar age, in a major European league over the last few years.
This is why Boehly and his team must push to get a deal over the line for the Milan star, if the money is right, to improve the squad this summer.
