Chelsea open talks with Barcelona linked forward ahead of potential summer transfer: Reports

Chelsea have reportedly set sights on signing Barcelona target Rafael Leao from AC Milan. The Blues have opened talks with the Serie A side as they look to bolster their squad in the summer.

As per a report in Calcio Mercato (via Football Italia), Leao is Chelsea's top attacking target for the summer. They are looking to bring in the Portuguese winger but are unwilling to activate his release clause.

The AC Milan star has a €175 million clause but that is beyond the club's budget. They are looking to agree on a deal with the San Siro side for the winger who has scored 10 times and assisted seven in his 37 matches this season.

AC Milan legend Kaka spoke to Gazzetta earlier this year and urged the Barcelona target to stay at San Siro. He said via MEN:

"He is a fantastic player, I like him so much. If he sees Italian football as a transitory moment in his career, then he should leave, now it’s the right moment. I think he should stay because I don’t see Italian football as transitory and sometimes leaving Milan is not a good idea.

"I think Leao must consider all options. Milan are giving him many. I met Galliani in Qatar during the World Cup and he said that Serie A has become a step in the players’ careers. I struggle to see it this way. Serie A remains a very challenging league for strikers, I don’t think it’s a minor league, even if there’s a different economic power."

The Blues sent Joao Felix to AC Milan on loan in January and hope that the former Atletico Madrid man can be used in the deal. Jorge Mendes is working on the offer and both players are his clients.

When Zlatan Ibrahimovic made bold claims about Chelsea and Barcelona target

Zlatan Ibrahimovic spoke to DAZN earlier this season and claimed that Rafael Leao had huge potential. He added that the Chelsea and Barcelona target does not realize the heights he can each and said via Football Italia:

“He knows that with everyone there are moments when you go wow, others less wow, it’s important to keep the non-wow moments to a minimum. He is going through a good period at the moment, both on the field and off.

"We are there to support and motivate him, but as a player he must make the difference because he’s one of the best in the world. I think Leao doesn’t realize how good he is. When he realises that, then it will all come out. People talk about him so much because they expect a great deal, which is because they know how talented he is."

Chelsea and AC Milan have a good relationship, with Christian Pulisic, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Fikayo Tomori, and Olivier Giroud moving from the Blues to the San Siro side in the last decade.