Aston Villa Pursue Rafael Leao Before Deadline Day

Aston Villa have moved for AC Milan forward Rafael Leao and are now locked in talks with the Italian club over a deal before the September 1 Deadline Day, according to Sky in Italy.

The Portugal international is understood to be open to the switch, with both clubs in direct contact as negotiations begin to take shape. Villa want him, Leao is listening, and the clock is already ticking on the window.

Leao, 27, offers exactly what Unai Emery is missing: goals, pace and versatility across the front line. He hit nine goals and three assists in 29 Serie A games last season, operating both through the middle and off the left. For a squad stripped of attacking depth and star quality in a single summer, that profile matters.

Villa’s attack in flux

Villa’s move for Leao comes against the backdrop of serious uncertainty around Ollie Watkins’ future. The England striker is a target for Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal, who, as reported by Sky Sports News, are in talks and have already seen at least one bid rejected.

Watkins’ absence from the match-day squad in the bruising 4-0 defeat at Brighton on Sunday only intensified the noise. Asked afterwards why his main striker was missing, Emery offered a pointed response to Sky Sports: “Ask him. I only can answer it by silence.”

Reports since have suggested Watkins returned to training on Monday and apologised to his team-mates for his absence, but the sense of instability remains. With Tammy Abraham and 17-year-old Brian Madjo both sidelined through injury, Emery’s options up front have been reduced to patchwork.

At Brighton, that reality was laid bare. Emi Buendia and Ross Barkley were pushed into makeshift forward roles as Villa collapsed to a heavy defeat, a Europa League-winning squad suddenly looking light and improvised in the most important area of the pitch.

And that is before you factor in the exodus. Youri Tielemans, Morgan Rogers, Lucas Digne and Ezri Konsa have already gone. Watkins and Emiliano Martinez could yet follow. For a club preparing for Champions League football, the gaps are glaring.

Leao as the Rogers replacement – and more

Within that context, Leao is not just another body through the door. He is being targeted as the player to replace Rogers’ output and flexibility across the frontline.

Sky Sports’ Patrick Rowe underlined the logic: Leao can operate as a central striker, a second forward or off the left. He drives at defences, commits players, and carries a threat from multiple areas of the pitch. In short, he would mimic much of what Rogers gave Emery, but with a higher ceiling and a more established European pedigree.

His reputation has dipped in recent seasons. The buzz that once surrounded him at Milan has cooled, his form blunted by managerial changes and tactical reshuffles. Different coaches, different roles, different demands – the continuity that shaped his early rise disappeared.

Yet that is exactly the kind of project Emery has embraced before. The reminder is clear: look at what he did with Marcus Rashford’s career. Under the right structure and with a defined role, a player whose stock seems to have stalled can catch fire again.

Villa can offer Leao something powerful: Champions League football, a prominent starting role and a platform in the Premier League. For Emery, he represents a crucial reinforcement and a ready-made answer to the star-quality void left by the summer’s departures.

If the deal drops, it is not hard to see why both sides would feel it works.

‘An incredible signing’ – Begovic on Leao to Villa

Someone who knows Leao well is convinced. Former AC Milan and Chelsea goalkeeper Asmir Begovic, speaking on Sky Sports, did not bother to play down the scale of the potential move.

“This wouldn't be good news, it'd be great news for Villa fans! Rafael Leao would be an incredible signing,” he said.

“I have played with him. I have seen the potential, pace, power and skill.

“He will be super suited to the Premier League. His game, the talent he has and the physical attributes he has will suit the Premier League.

“At Milan, he came through the ranks and really developed. He had good senior players and had consistency. Things started to change, a lot of managers started to change.

“It hasn't helped his consistency. Everyone has played him slightly differently. Look at Unai Emery and what he has done to some of the players at Aston Villa.

“Morgan Rogers and Ollie Watkins, taking their careers to the next level.

“Rafael Leao, working with Emery and getting the opportunity to be the main player at Villa, it would be huge.”

Huge is the word. Villa are staring at a decisive few days, trying to protect themselves against a possible Watkins exit, rebuild an attack that has been stripped back, and arm Emery for a season that includes Champions League nights.

If they can drag Leao out of Milan and into claret and blue before September 1, the entire complexion of their forward line – and perhaps their season – changes in an instant.