Chelsea: 'Special' £129m star 'appeals' to Boehly at Stamford Bridge

Chelsea target Rafael Leao is the “real deal”, believes journalist Dean Jones.

The west London outfit tried to sign the AC Milan forward during the summer transfer window, and Jones says it is his versatility that really appeals to Todd Boehly and the club.

According to The Times, Chelsea were in talks to sign Leao just before the transfer deadline as their former manager Thomas Tuchel looked to strengthen in attack.

However, a move always looked unlikely, with Duncan Castles, a journalist of the same newspaper, claiming that Milan wanted the 23-year-old’s €150m (around £129m) release clause to be paid.

Milan valuing Leao so highly comes as no surprise given how he performed last season.

In 42 appearances, the Portuguese star came up with over 20 goal contributions as the Rossoneri went on to clinch their first Serie A title in 11 years.

Jones thinks Leao is a “special” player and has told GIVEMESPORT that his versatility is one reason why Chelsea have been targeting him.

Speaking to GMS, the transfer insider said: “Leao is a very versatile player. The fact that he can play off the flanks or play through the middle is something that appeals to them and he’s got that star factor.

“I mean, the performance that he put in against Inter Milan last weekend shows how special he is. This is a guy that is the real deal at this point.”

Without a doubt. Leao is a player who could definitely bring a lot to Chelsea’s attack.

As Jones mentioned, he is quite versatile, being able to play on the left flank and as a striker. As his stats from last season show, he is also a very productive forward in the final third.

Leao is great at beating defenders, too. Over the last year, the Portugal international has ranked in the 95th percentile