McManaman not impressed with Spurs target Rafael Leao’s work-rate

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Steve McManaman has told BT Sport (broadcast on 5/10 from 19:00) that while there is no doubting Rafael Leao’s talent, he was not at all impressed by the reported Tottenham Hotspur target’s work-rate.

Leao got the chance to show what he could do against Premier League opposition on Wednesday. AC Milan faced Chelsea with the Blues still looking for their first win in this year’s Champions League.

Unfortunately for the Rossoneri, it proved to be a miserable evening. They were beaten 3-0 at Stamford Bridge. And for Leao, it was not his best performance by any means.

McManaman not impressed with Rafael Leao’s work-rate

The 23-year-old has established himself as one of the best talents on the continent, playing a key role in winning Milan the Scudetto last season. And with that, links with a future Premier League move have emerged.

In fact, it was reported by Calciomercato.It on Wednesday that Tottenham want Leao.

It would be an amazing statement for Spurs to sign Leao. However, it is probably fair to say that he is unlikely to have won any new admirers after his performance in the capital.

Certainly, McManaman was not blown away by what he saw against Chelsea.

“There’s no doubting his talent, Leao, but look at his work-rate. Look at him now. He’s walking! He’s got no interest in going the other way,” he told BT Sport.

Tottenham’s attack is currently made up of several players who boast huge quality but also work incredibly hard. Harry Kane rarely needs a second invitation to drop deep to get involved in the play. Meanwhile, the likes of Richarlison and Dejan Kulusevski are always willing to give everything.

So for those not impressed by Leao, his performance against Chelsea may lead to alarm bells ringing. However, he is such a special talent that an exception would surely be made if Tottenham did indeed make a move.

It would be such a statement to bring him to North London. He is one of the brightest talents coming through. And he should only improve further in the future.

It may have been frustrating to watch on Wednesday. But it is hard to imagine that any sides keen on Leao would let one performance cloud their judgement.