---
title: "Man City: Jack Grealish could be sacrificed to sign Rafael Leao"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/man-city-jack-grealish-rafael-leao-transfer-rumours/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Dominic Lund"
section: "Manchester City News"
published: "2022-12-28T11:05:40Z"
modified: "2022-12-28T11:05:40Z"
---

# Man City: Jack Grealish could be sacrificed to sign Rafael Leao

**[Manchester City](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/manchester-city-news/) manager Pep Guardiola is now willing to sacrifice [Jack Grealish](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/tag/jack-grealish/) if it means securing the signature of AC Milan winger [Rafael Leao](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/tag/rafael-leao/), according to a new report.**

### The Lowdown: Man City’s Leao interest

As per Spanish sources (via [Sports Mole](https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/man-utd/transfer-talk/news/guardiola-promised-by-man-city-that-club-will-move-for-leao_500634.html)), Guardiola was promised by the Man City board that the club would make an attempt to bring Leao to the Etihad Stadium, with the Spaniard identifying him as his leading target in that area of the pitch.

When recently asked by RDP Africa whether he wants to play in the [Premier League](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/premier-league-news/) at some stage, the Portugal international said: “Yes, in the future. But now I’m 100 per cent focused on Milan. I’m at a top club and I’m under contract. I also like the city of Milan.” (via [Metro](https://metro.co.uk/2022/12/24/chelsea-man-utd-target-rafael-leao-confirms-transfer-decision-hails-arsenal-17993481/))

While he seems to be settled at Milan for the time being, the 23-year-old may now have the opportunity to complete a move to England…

### The Latest: Guardiola hatches transfer plan

According to [Calciomercato](https://www.calciomercatoweb.it/2022/12/26/calcimoercato-milan-leao-grealish-manchester-city-pioli-guardiola/), Guardiola is willing to offer Grealish on a plate to Milan in a proposed swap deal in order to sign Leao in the summer, given that the [£100m](https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11679/12372309/jack-grealish-manchester-city-sign-aston-villa-captain-for-100m) England international has never really managed to deliver on his huge price tag at City.

However, the Serie A club are unconvinced by the exchange, owing to the 27-year-old’s high wages – which they would need to match – as well as him being a few years older than Leao.

\[freshpress-quiz id=”410621″\]

### The Verdict: Fair swap?

Lauded as a ‘[diamond](https://twitter.com/sporx/status/1532090562958049284?s=20&t=BckT5YC-BkAE5dHRh9s2uQ)‘ by AC Milan technical director Paolo Maldini, Leao is enjoying yet another fine season in Italy, with [six](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/rafael-leao/leistungsdaten/spieler/357164) goals and five assists to his name in Serie A so far. He is also thriving in the Champions League, with [five](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/rafael-leao/leistungsdaten/spieler/357164) goal contributions in six games.

On the other hand, [29-cap](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/jack-grealish/nationalmannschaft/spieler/203460) England international Grealish has only scored [once](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/jack-grealish/leistungsdaten/spieler/203460) in the Premier League this term, while he is also still struggling to hold down a regular place in the starting line-up, having played the full 90 minutes on just [two](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/jack-grealish/leistungsdaten/spieler/203460) occasions.

As such, Leao would appear to be a big upgrade if Guardiola is able to tempt AC Milan into an agreement, particularly given that he is still just 23 and has plenty of time to develop, but it seems as though the Serie A champions do not have any interest in a deal of that nature.