According to reports, Raphinha’s agent – Deco – is ‘handling three offers’ from Arsenal, Chelsea and Newcastle United for the Barcelona winger.
The Brazil international was superb for Leeds United last season as he helped the Yorkshire outfit stay in the Premier League. He grabbed 11 goals and three assists in the league.
His form last term set him up for a major transfer elsewhere and he ended up securing his dream move to Barcelona. Arsenal and Chelsea targeted him before the La Liga giants won the race to sign him.
Raphinha has performed well for Barcelona this season as he has been involved in 21 goals in 45 appearances across all competitions.
But Spanish outlet Sport are reporting that he ‘fears a loss of prominence next year with Ousmane Dembele’s starting status and the possible return of Lionel Messi’.
Raphinha ‘would consider leaving’ Barcelona this summer and this is ‘based strictly on sporting issues’ as the club’s hierarchy are not ‘pushing’ him to ‘accept any of the juicy offers from the Premier League’.
He is not a ‘sacred cow’ at Barcelona and the ‘direct consequence’ could be that he ‘loses the chance to play’ for Brazil.
The 26-year-old’s family are ‘very happy in Catalonia’ and his plan ‘was to stay in Barcelona for many years, not only to fulfil her contract but also to renew it’.
Though Raphinha now ‘cannot rule out’ an ‘unexpected twist in the script’, which would see him leave in the summer. The report adds.
‘Raphinha still hasn’t decided which club she can join. His agent, who is Deco , handles three offers: Chelsea, who had already reached a transfer agreement with Leeds United last year; Arsenal, which has been insisting for many months with constant calls from its sports director, the Brazilian Edu Gaspar to his representative; and the Newcastle that is the last that has made an approach to the Blaugrana.
‘All of them assure him a higher token than the one he receives in Barcelona, which is 12 million euros gross.
‘Regardless of what his destination would be, Barcelona would only authorize his departure if there is a stipulated transfer price between 70 and 80 million euros.’
READ MORE: Big Six referees… Liverpool fury, Man Utd tears, Arsenal flying under favourites
Last month, journalist Pete O’Rourke claimed Raphinha “would seriously consider” joining Arsenal this summer.
“I’m sure Raphinha, if he was to leave Barcelona, Arsenal…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at Football365…