Aston Villa pushing for a loan deal for AC Milan attacker Rafael Leao

Aston Villa are pushing to sign AC Milan attacker Rafael Leao on loan with an obligation to buy, according to The Athletic. Villa are desperate to bolster their attacking ranks but are yet to make a firm offer for the Portugal international. Leao is set to leave Milan this summer, and Unai Emery wants him at the Midlands club. Super agent Jorge Mendes is fronting the process to find the 27-year-old a new club, and Milan have accepted a €45 million deal from Galatasaray. The Turkish Super Lig club have offered the Villa target an annual salary of €10-12m net.

However, Leao is yet to decide his future, but the Villans believe his preference is to join them this summer. Milan prefer a permanent sale this summer and it will be interesting to see whether Villa will change their minds. Leao appeared in all five of Portugal’s World Cup games earlier this summer, weighing in with one goal and one assist. He could be a top signing for the Midlands club, but Gala are desperate to lure him to Turkey. Premier League rules permit that clubs can only register a maximum of two players on loanfrom other Premier League or English clubs at any one time. Villa already have Alejandro Garnacho and Aaron Wan-Bissaka in from Chelsea and West Ham United respectively, but they can still sign a player on loan from outside England.