Manchester United and Chelsea have both had scouts “observing” AC Milan winger Rafael Leao, according to the Gazzetta Dello Sport.

The Italian newspaper claims that the Portuguese international’s future is up in the air, with a lot depending on who succeeds Stefano Pioli as Rossoneri boss at the end of the season.

Leao only signed a new contract last year, keeping him at the San Siro until 2028, but there is increasing speculation that he could be sold to fund Milan’s transfer business this summer.

Gazzetta claim that, if expected, Pioli is sacked, his replacement may decide to sacrifice one of the club’s most saleable assets in order to increase the amount he can spend on new signings.

Leao does have a €175m (£151m) release clause but it remains to be seen if a team is prepared to pay a fee anywhere close to that amount.

The Portuguese forward has continued to impress this season

Although Leao did have a barren spell in front of goal earlier in the campaign, he has been in impressive form over the past few weeks.

In his last 6 league appearances, the 24-year-old has scored 4 goals and provided 1 assist. He also played a big role in Milan reaching the quarter-final of the Europa League before they were knocked out by fellow Italian side Roma.

Leao could be United’s replacement for Rashford

The winger generally prefers to play off the left flank, cutting in onto his strong right foot. Considering manager Erik ten Hag already has Marcus Rashford for that position, it’s possible that Leao is being looked at as a potential successor if the England international leaves Old Trafford.

Rashford has had a poor season by his standards, scoring just 8 goals in 40 appearances, and he has been regularly linked with a move to Paris Saint-Germain. Coincidentally, PSG have also been weighing up a move for Leao, as they seek to replace Kylian Mbappe.