Arsenal are looking to add some stardust to their attack this summer, and Andrea Berta feels this could be done in the wide areas.
The Gunners lacked the requisite offensive firepower to seriously challenge Liverpool for the Premier League title last season, with the likes of Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard producing underwhelming campaigns.
Thus, Arsenal have pursued a move for Nico Williams, although the Spaniard now looks likely to join Barcelona.
Rodrygo remains one of Berta’s priority targets, and a deal for the Brazilian is certainly plausible, but the North Londoners would have to wait until after the Club World Cup to negotiate with Real Madrid and the player.
Berta is eager to assemble Mikel Arteta’s squad before pre-season commences, and he therefore may turn to alternatives to the 24-year-old star.
Rafael Leao is another top-quality wide forward option on the market this summer.
Arsenal’s interest in Leao has been well reported, although the potential cost of the player and Milan’s general reluctance to sanction their talisman’s departure have been mooted as stumbling blocks.
Reports have suggested Leao is valued at £150 million, which would certainly make him unattainable for the Gunners.
However, CalcioMercato now indicate that Milan are desperate to sell some of their prized assets this summer, and need to do so to raise funds for incomings.
Alongside the likes of Theo Hernandez, Mike Maignan and Yunus Musah, Leao is up for sale and the Rossoneri would happily cash in for a fee in the region of €80-90 million (£69-77 million).
The Portuguese winger was previously deemed ‘untouchable’ at the San Siro, but this stance has changed dramatically after Milan failed to qualify for any European competition.
An explosive dribbler and a great ball carrier, Leao has several attributes that Arsenal are crying out for and that would improve Arteta’s team.
The Gunners’ attack can often be sterile and predictable, struggling to break down low blocks on the left-hand side when Bukayo Saka is marked out of the game on the right.
Leao’s acceleration on the outside and ability to beat his man would unlock new opportunities for Arsenal in the final third that they don’t currently benefit from with Trossard or Martinelli.
That said, Arsenal have built the success of their team on defensive solidity, and the 26-year-old would almost certainly hinder this.
Extremely lax off the ball, Leao hasn’t developed his pressing skills over the years, and the Gunners’ cohesive press would subsequently fall apart if he were to join the North London club.
His output has the potential to make sacrificing this defensive security worth the trade-off, but it’s still a huge risk, and the prospective price tag would have to reflect that.
