Barcelona forward Raphinha is in the form of his life and having scored 28 goals and provided 22 assists this season in all competitions, he is arguably the leading contender to win the Ballon d’Or. He is one of the first names on Hansi Flick’s team-sheet but for how much longer that will be remains to be seen.
Catalunya Radio (h/t 90min) has reported that Barca’s plans of tying Raphinha down to a fresh contract are not going as they had expected with the Brazilian international’s lofty salary demands leading to a stall in negotiations. Deco, the club’s sporting director, is prepared to sell him for £70 million if a new agreement is not sorted out in time, thus alerting Arsenal and Chelsea.
The London rivals are pondering over the addition of a winger to their respective squads in the summer and off the back of Raphinha’s form, it comes as no surprise that they have kept one eye on him. With the summer approaching, they will be sure to test the waters for the former Leeds United star and a transfer cannot be ruled out, especially with Barcelona’s finances in mind.
Raphinha could entertain thoughts of a PL return
Raphinha could win the treble with Barcelona this season and in doing so, he would have completed his biggest challenge in Catalonia. And having had a fantastic campaign from an individual perspective as well, he will understandably look to leverage interest from elsewhere in Europe to land a better deal with his current employers.
Although Barca are no longer as financially stretched as they were a couple of years back, they still are in a delicate spot and cannot afford to significantly alter their wage structure. Plus, for a player due to enter the last 24 months of his contract, they could see good value in parting ways with him for £70 million, £15 million more than they originally paid for him.
Chelsea could hold the upper hand over Arsenal as they can offer better money to Barca and Raphinha, though with the Gunners’ strong title credentials, they would be just as attractive a destination for the South American. It may be a matter of time before talks regarding his future heat up though in the immediate future, both, the player and his club will be focused on finishing the season strongly.
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