After being linked with Newcastle, Pep Guardiola now wants to sign the ‘untouchable’ forward.

According to Foot Mercato, Rafael Leao of AC Milan is now wanted by Manchester City. The forward has previously been linked with Newcastle (La Repubblica) and Liverpool in the same report this summer.

Milan director Paolo Maldini described Portugal international as “untouchable” (Gazzetta Sport). Furthermore, Leao’s release clause is said to be £127.56m, indicating that he is a valuable player at the Italian club.

Signing Leao was always going to be difficult for Newcastle, but now that Manchester City is interested, they face even more competition.

He usually plays on the left winger or left forward position, which the Magpies will look to strengthen this summer. Newcastle’s attacking options on the wing are inconsistent, with Allan Saint-Maximin being their best outlet.

The Magpies cannot afford the price. Leao is an intriguing prospect, but he is not yet one of Europe’s top players. Furthermore, even if City pays less than his release clause, it will still be a large sum.

If Man City wants Leao, the Toon should let them have him. Given the potential problems with Financial Fair Play (FFP), the £125.56 million release clause isn’t worth it.

There are numerous other players available who would improve Newcastle’s attacking options. Burnley’s Maxwell Cornet, for example, now has a low release clause of £17.5 million.

They will face a lack of European football as a challenge, but they have more money in the bank. Other top Premier League teams, on the other hand, will be playing in the Champions League or the Europa League next season.

However, the additions of Kieran Trippier and Bruno Guimaraes give them a reason to be optimistic. The pair have made an impression at Newcastle. Other key players may see the bigger picture and want to participate in the project. This could lead to an exciting future.

Eddie Howe will have to be cautious with his spending this summer. They cannot risk violating the FFP rules during this time frame. In this window, they’ll want to bolster a variety of positions, not just the attackers.