Rafael Leao to Manchester City in Swap for Ruben Dias

Jorge Mendes is attempting to pull off one of the most audacious moves of the summer: sending Rafael Leao to Manchester City and bringing Ruben Dias to Milan in a swap deal that would also see cash head to the Premier League champions, according to Sport Mediaset.

Leao on the market, but no €50m bidders

Milan’s stance on Leao has shifted. His contract runs until 2028, but with no club stepping up to meet the requested €50m plus add-ons, the Rossoneri are listening to creative solutions rather than waiting for a straightforward sale that may never come.

Enter Mendes.

The Portuguese super agent has effectively taken the wheel of Milan’s transfer strategy in recent months. He was central to the appointment of Ruben Amorim as head coach, the arrival of Goncalo Ramos from Paris Saint-Germain, and the deal for Diego Moreira from RC Strasbourg. On this particular day, he spent the entire afternoon at Casa Milan, working the phones and shaping proposals.

The latest idea on the table: Leao to City, Ruben Dias to Milan, with the Italians also paying a fee.

Milan’s defensive rebuild targets Dias

Milan have already moved to reinforce the back line with Mario Gila from Lazio, but that is only part of a wider rebuild. Amorim wants defenders who can read his aggressive, structured style, and few fit that profile better than Dias.

The Portugal international, who turned 29 in May, has been a cornerstone of Manchester City’s recent dominance. He joined from Benfica in 2020 for €71.6m and is tied to the club until June 2029, a contract that underlines just how difficult — and expensive — any deal would be.

That has not stopped speculation. Dias has also been linked with Real Madrid this summer, adding another heavyweight rival if City ever open the door.

For now, it is Mendes pushing hardest, trying to turn Milan’s Leao dilemma into an opportunity to land one of the most respected centre-backs in Europe. If he succeeds, it would not just reshape Milan’s defence. It would redraw part of the European transfer map.