AC Milan has sparked controversy with their potential blockbuster trade with FC Barcelona, as both clubs are looking to revamp their squads for the 2025 – 26 season.
The Italian club is looking for a top defender while aiming to acquire a top forward to help with their backline issues.
Since FC Barcelona is hamstrung financially and because La Liga has stringent financial rules and regulations, this may be attractive to them, and if they can land a great winger without a cash transfer, even better.
The problem with this plan is that Barcelona would have to give up a crucial dressing-room figure, which has created a predicament for their manager, Hansi Flick.
Mundo Deportivo has reported that the swap involves AC Milan’s forward Rafael Leao for FC Barcelona’s Ronald Araujo, who is their captain.
AC Milan star, Rafael Leao, has long been a Barcelona transfer target, and would provide pace and creativity down the left side, with the club having missed out on Luis Díaz and Nico Williams over the cost of purchase.
Barcelona’s Araujo, who will see his €65 million release clause reduced as of July 1 until July 15, 2025, is a massively valuable defender who is also a target of Bayern Munich.
Milan’s coach, Massimiliano Allegri, sees Araujo as a perfect defensive general, and they have, by design, too many attacking players.
The swap deal could fix Barcelona’s financial fair play obstacles, allowing them to register new signings while plugging a key position.
Effectively losing Araujo, a leader and defensive bedrock, would create uncertainty; even with the depth of Pau Cubarsi and Inigo Martineza, playing Araujo as a left back could breed instability.
Flick’s challenge is to weigh sporting equilibrium with financial feasibility.
Interest intensifies with negotiations set to intensify, and either way, if the proposed swap is realised, it has the potential to shape either club’s season, with supporters watching closely.
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