According to Belgian transfer expert Sacha Tavolieri, agent Jorge Mendes proposed Milan outcast Rafael Leao to Roma, now that the price tag has plummeted and Diego Moreira is coming in.
The player and club were both confident that he would be moving on this summer, but finding a buyer for €50m plus €10m add-ons has proved to be difficult, if not impossible.
MILAN, ITALY – MAY 10: Rafael Leao of AC Milan gestures during the Serie A match between AC Milan and Atalanta BC at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on May 10, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
The only genuine interest has come from Galatasaray, Besiktas and Fenerbahce, and the first side are the only ones still in talks.
Roma solution for Leao?
DUBLIN, IRELAND – NOVEMBER 13: Rafael Leao of Portugal reacts after the team’s defeat during the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier match between Republic of Ireland and Portugal at Aviva Stadium on November 13, 2025 in Dublin, Ireland. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images)
However, transfer pundit Tavolieri reports this evening that agent Jorge Mendes has offered Leao to Serie A side Roma, reaching out directly to the Friedkin family.
It would be a remarkable twist in the tale, but one that could allow Leao to continue playing in the Champions League, and with a coach more suited to his style of football.
The asking price was dropped to around €40m plus add-ons, and Mendes was again behind some manoeuvring that brings Diego Moreira to Milan from RC Strasbourg for at least €50m.
Moreira had been a target for Roma too, as they play in similar positions, so it’s entirely possible that the agent saw this as part of a domino effect on the transfer market.
Milan fans and even Leao might be reticent to switch to a different Italian club after seven years at San Siro, especially as he had declared over the summer that Serie A was less suited to him than the Premier League or LaLiga.
However, with none of those leagues knocking at his door, this might be the best solution for all concerned.
Similarly, Roma would be spending roughly the same amount to get Malick Fofana from Olympique Lyonnais.