Arsenal have taken pole position in the race for Raphinha after making an official bid for the Leeds United winger. The Whites are set to turn down the opening offer which, while the official figure is unknown, is thought to be some way off Leeds’ valuation around £60million.
The emergence of Arsenal as lead contenders is somewhat surprising. Barcelona have been heavily linked with a move for the Brazilian, while Chelsea and Tottenham are also interested - all of those can offer something Arsenal cannot: Champions League football. Mikel Arteta’s side missed out on a top-four place last season despite looking favourites to pip Spurs for much of the run-in.
The 25-year-old has alsos cited regular playing time as a significant deciding factor in any summer decisions, with his inclusion in the Brazil squad for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar later this year a priority.
