"No chance, he’s not leaving the club" - Club CEO shuts down rumors linking superstar with Barcelona move

AC Milan CEO Giorgio Furlani has rubbished rumors connecting Portuguese striker Rafael Leao with a potential move to Barcelona this summer. The Catalan club has reportedly been in pursuit of Leao after missing out on signing Nico Williams from Athletic Bilbao.

Speaking to El Chiringuito TV about a potential deal with Barca, Furlani made it clear that Leao will not be leaving AC Milan this summer and the player will also not ask for it. He said:

“Rafa Leao will NOT leave AC Milan this summer. Barcelona move? No chance. No way. He’s not leaving the club. 100%. If Rafa asks to leave? He’s not gonna ask to leave the club. I think my message is quite clear, no?"

Rafael Leao's current contract with the Serie A giants runs until June 2028 and the club will demand a reported €90 million for the winger. One of Barca's main objectives this summer was to sign a left winger and Leao could fit the bill perfectly.

However, the operation could be complicated for the Blaugrana amid their well-documented financial constraints and AC Milan's strong stance on the transfer. Apart from Leao, the club was also keen on signing Luis Diaz from Liverpool and is reportedly monitoring the situation of Federico Chiesa from Juventus, as per Mundo Deportivo.

Barcelona wasn't able to carry out a successful transfer window this summer, with multiple key players including Ilkay Gundogan, Sergi Roberto and Vitor Roque on their way out of the club.

Their only major signing was Dani Olmo from RB Leipzig despite the requirement of a left winger and a defensive midfielder to strengthen their squad.

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Barcelona missed out on signing transfer target Nico Williams from Athletic Bilbao

Spain v Georgia: Round of 16 - UEFA EURO 2024 - Source: Getty

With the summer transfer window drawing to an end, Barcelona appeared to have missed out on signing Spanish winger Nico Williams from Athletic Bilbao. The winger has made his intention of staying at his boyhood club clear after publicly addressing the club's fans a few times.

Williams' contract with the Basque club runs until June 2027, with a reported release clause of €58 million. The Catalan giants were reportedly ready to trigger the clause but the Spaniard did not accept the offer.

Since the departure of Neymar Jr in 2017, Barcelona has struggled to find a winger as versatile and dynamic as the Brazilian. The Blaugrana have been in dire need of a promising winger this summer and Williams' performance for Spain in Euro 2024 appeared to have reignited their hopes.

Moreover, Nico Williams' bond with Barca superstar Lamine Yamal is well-known. Their chemistry on the pitch was key to La Roja's victory in Euro 2024. Bringing Williams to Camp Nou could have helped create the same impact on the pitch for the club.

However, Williams Jr is reportedly determined to stay at Athletic Club for at least one more year. After returning to training with the Basque side, the winger said (via Athletic Club's official X account):

"I'm back, excited for this season. Come on, Athletic."

It remains to be seen whether Barcelona makes a move for any other player this summer but it looks unlikely, especially with the registration of key players including new signing Dani Olmo pending.