Rafael Leao Reveals Manchester United as Favourite Premier League Team
Rafael Leao has never hidden who shaped his football dreams. Now he’s put a name – and a club – to it in a way that will prick ears at Old Trafford.
The AC Milan forward, long linked with a summer move, has revealed that Manchester United are his favourite Premier League side, thanks to the man who defined a generation at the club: Cristiano Ronaldo.
Asked on the Cernucci podcast whether he watches much English football and which team he follows, Leao didn’t hesitate.
“Yeah of course,” he said. “I like (Manchester) United because my idol is Cristiano Ronaldo, so back then, I used to watch them. I like Arsenal also.”
For a player already on United’s radar, it’s the kind of line that instantly fuels the transfer narrative. This isn’t a vague compliment about the league. It’s a direct nod to the shirt Ronaldo made iconic – and one Leao has often been tipped to wear.
Cut-price chance for Europe’s elite
United are not alone in circling. Across Europe, recruitment departments know Leao’s situation at Milan is shifting.
The Portuguese international, 26, could be available for around £43 million after Milan missed out on European football, a figure that would represent a significant discount for a forward of his pedigree. Since arriving at San Siro, he has scored 60 goals in 291 appearances, evolving from raw prospect into one of Serie A’s most explosive attacking outlets.
Chelsea and Barcelona have both been linked, weighing up whether this is the moment to move for a player entering his peak years. The numbers, the age profile, the price – they all point to an opportunity that doesn’t come around often.
Clubs outside Europe’s traditional power base have tried to muscle in as well. Leao has been connected with moves to Saudi Arabia and Turkiye, with Galatasaray and Fenerbahce among those keen. The money on offer there is never subtle. The appeal, for many, is obvious.
This time, though, the answer appears clear. Recent reports indicate he has no interest in a move to either destination. For a player who grew up watching Ronaldo tear through the Champions League, the pull of elite European competition still bites hardest.
United’s rebuild gathers pace
That stance aligns neatly with United’s summer plans. Back in the Champions League after a season of recovery, the club are in the market for a new winger as they look to add pace and unpredictability to their attack.
The recruitment drive has already started. United are on the verge of signing Atalanta midfielder Ederson for a fee of £38m, a move designed to add legs and authority in the middle of the pitch. The message from the boardroom is clear: third place and a return to Europe’s top table is not the finish line, it’s the starting point.
Michael Carrick, who guided the club to that third-placed finish, has been blunt about the scale of the work still required. Several players are leaving. The squad needs depth, variety and competition.
The new United boss has already sketched out his view of the coming window.
“I think the beauty of the next transfer window, for everybody, it's always the biggest thing in the world, and the most important transfer window of all time, for every club, I think,” he said. “That's just the nature of how it's been created, to be honest, and I think, again, as a football club, you want to keep moving forward. We certainly do.
“As a football club, we want to keep moving forward. I think it's acknowledged we're at this stage, and the dynamics and the balance of the direction we're at, where we've ended up getting to, and finishing in the league, there's obviously work to do.
“It's quite obvious, with certain players leaving, there's a bit of work to do, but this one is not any more important than the last one, it's what's ahead of us as a football club to try and make the most of it.”
That “what’s ahead” could easily include a marquee wide forward. Someone who can stretch defences, carry the ball from deep, and turn tight games with a single burst of acceleration. Someone, in other words, like Rafael Leao.
Ronaldo’s shadow, Old Trafford’s lure
This is where the emotional thread matters. For players of Leao’s generation, Ronaldo at Manchester United was not just a superstar; he was the blueprint. The step-overs, the goals, the Champions League nights under the floodlights – they created an image of Old Trafford that still resonates.
When Leao says United are his favourite Premier League team because of Ronaldo, he is tapping into that memory. For United, trying to rebuild their identity and attract top-level talent back to a club that has lurched between eras, that kind of admiration is priceless.
The competition will be fierce. Chelsea need goals and width. Barcelona, even amid financial constraints, remain a magnet for attacking talent. Milan, for their part, will not let one of their prized assets go without a fight, even at a reduced fee.
But this summer, the landscape is different. Milan are out of Europe. Leao is approaching his prime. United are back in the Champions League, armed with a clear mandate to strengthen and a manager demanding forward motion.
The hint has been dropped. Now the question is simple: will United turn a childhood idol into the next chapter of their own attacking story, or will another giant move quicker for one of Europe’s most watchable forwards?
