AC Milan have reportedly dropped their Rafael Leao price to a level Arsenal believe they can work with, and the Gunners are ready to accelerate plans for 2026. The winger’s €150m release clause had long been a deterrent; a new stance pointing to around €85m changes the conversation and the timing.
Mikel Arteta’s side slipped late at Sunderland after a superb run of clean sheets, but the broader picture remains strong. With the North London derby next, then Chelsea and Bayern Munich in a seven-day burst after the break, Arsenal’s recruitment focus is turning to the margins that decide elite weeks. Leão’s profile: direct, explosive, and already productive this season, fits that brief.
AC Milan drop Rafael Leao price to €85m
According to Caught Offside, Milan are prepared to talk at around €85m (£75m), a sharp adjustment from the clause. The backdrop is simple: the club is braced for the possibility talks over a new deal could stall, despite Leao being contracted until 2028. Arsenal see the discount as an invitation to move faster and shape the market on their terms.
The Premier League leaders-in-waiting have spent big before, but price discipline matters. A set number, well below the clause, allows planning without distorting wider squad needs. If Arsenal choose to push now, the fee signals a clean path with fewer intermediaries and less noise.
How the discount reshapes Arsenal’s planning
Arteta called the Sunderland draw “disappointment and frustration,” but also praised his team’s control and personality. That balance mirrors why Arsenal like Leão: he can flip a game state with a run or a one-v-one while fitting a possession structure. A defined figure lets Edu’s team judge role, minutes and long-term value against a clear cost, rather than chasing a moving target.
And the calendar bites. Tottenham, Chelsea and Bayern in quick succession is exactly the sort of stretch that rewards a winger who forces retreat and creates separation in crowded boxes. If a summer power play becomes a springboard move, the rationale will be that this price made it viable.
Rafael Leao vs Bukayo Saka: early 25/26 snapshot
Embed from Getty Images
Leao has 453 league minutes this season with four goals and one assist; Bukayo Saka has 681 minutes with three goals and no assists so far. Successful take-ons stand at five for Leao and 17 for Saka. Roles differ by flank and system, but the topline speaks to why Arsenal value an opposite-side finisher who is already producing at speed.
Thierry Henry labelled Leao “crazy” in 2023, and the outputs to date support the upside case. The bet for Arsenal would be simple: add a peak-age wide threat to turbocharge both transition and sustained pressure phases.
