Rafael Leão agrees to €45 million Galatasaray transfer after rejecting Aston Villa

Transfer agreement and contract details

Portuguese winger Rafael Leão completed negotiations to join Turkish champions Galatasaray on Friday, 28 August 2026, concluding his spell with Italian club AC Milan. The clubs agreed on a transaction worth €45 million in fixed transfer fees, alongside €5 million in performance-related objectives, according to reporting from transfer journalist Sacha Tavolieri. Italian reporter Gianluca Di Marzio reported terms of €40 million fixed plus variable add-ons, while Fabrizio Romano also confirmed an agreement of €45 million plus performance variables.

The 27-year-old winger accepted a contract in Istanbul worth €12 million per season. The financial package surpassed the terms tabled by Premier League side Aston Villa, which had submitted salary proposals between €7.5 million and €8 million per year. AC Milan had negotiated terms with both potential buyers over several weeks to resolve the attacker's future before the player gave his final consent to the Turkish champions.

Aston Villa pursuit and Ruben Amorim's squad decisions

The agreement followed a contested bidding process between Galatasaray and Aston Villa that shifted throughout Friday. Early reporting from journalists Mateo Moretto and Yagiz Sabuncuoglu indicated that Aston Villa manager Unai Emery had personally intervened in discussions, briefly convincing Leão to prioritise a move to the English club. At that stage, Aston Villa was viewed as the favourite for his signature, though a formal financial agreement between Aston Villa and AC Milan had not yet been concluded.

Leão subsequently reversed his stance later in the afternoon, choosing the Turkish club's higher wage proposal and sporting project. AC Milan manager Ruben Amorim, who recently took over technical leadership of the Italian side, announced that Leão will not feature in the squad for the club's next competitive fixture. Leão concluded his final full campaign at the San Siro recording 10 goals and three assists across 31 appearances in all competitions, having worn the number 10 shirt for the Italian team.

Champions League context and Galatasaray's move for Richard Ríos

Galatasaray completed the acquisition of Leão ahead of their upcoming campaign in the UEFA Champions League, where the reigning Turkish league champions are scheduled to face Portuguese club Sporting CP. With the Portuguese winger secured, Galatasaray's board immediately opened discussions for additional reinforcements in European football.

Journalist Gianluigi Longari reported on Friday that Galatasaray established initial formal contacts with Portuguese side Benfica to sign Colombian international midfielder Richard Ríos. The Colombian player has experienced reduced playing time at the Estádio da Luz following the arrival of manager Marco Silva, failing to play any minutes during Benfica's away fixture against Aarhus on Thursday night. To register Ríos alongside Leão, the Turkish club must first open a foreign player roster spot within their domestic and European squad limits.