Rafael Leao’s 2022/23 season puts every Chelsea winger to shame

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Chelsea are reportedly interested in signing Rafael Leao from AC Milan this summer.

In fact, it has been claimed that there has already been contact between Chelsea and Leao’s camp ahead of the transfer window opening.

After last season, it is clear that the Blues need to bring in a new left winger, and the 26-year-old looks ideal.

DISCUSS: Jarrod Bowen is a better signing than Rafael Leao…

Chelsea have been linked with both this summer.

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Leao is more productive than Chelsea’s current crop of wingers, with the Portuguese particularly excelling back in the 2022/23 campaign.

In 35 Serie A appearances, Leao scored 15 goals and set up another eight, giving him a total of 23 goal contributions. It is a figure that the likes of Alejandro Garnacho and Pedro Neto can only dream of.

To put things into perspective, Garnacho scored just one goal in the Premier League last season. He did manage to provide four assists, but his output was simply too low after playing 24 games.

Neto did better, scoring five goals and providing six assists, but that is still not enough for a club who will have aspirations to win the title again one day.

As for Estevao Willian, he finished the league campaign with four goal contributions, while Jamie Gittens recorded just two. Combined, Chelsea’s four main wingers managed one fewer goal contribution than Leao in 2022/23.

It is a different league and was a few years ago, but that is still quite astonishing and really puts into perspective how inconsistent Chelsea’s wide men have been.

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According to WhoScored, Leao also completed 2.2 dribbles per game, showing how good he is at taking on his man. That is another thing that Garnacho was criticised for last season, not being direct enough. His average was a disappointing 0.6.

Chelsea could now sell Garnacho, but whether the club choose to or not, they should sign Leao as soon as the transfer window opens.

He would be a huge upgrade on the Argentina international and everything else that Chelsea have.