Raphinha wants a move to Barcelona and would put himself among a list of Brazilian greats at the club, according to Tim Vickery. The Leeds United winger has been the subject of endless speculation this summer from the likes of Barca, Chelsea, Tottenham and Arsenal, with a move away from Elland Road looking almost certain.
Chelsea currently lead the race as the only club to have an offer - believed to be around £60million - accepted by the club, but they have run into a brick wall when trying to negotiate personal terms. That is due mainly to the fact that Raphinha and his agent, ex-Barca and Chelsea man Deco, are both awaiting Barcelona’s approach.
Should the Spanish giants agree a fee with Leeds, it is hard to see any other outcome than a move to the Camp Nou for Raphinha, with the 25-year-old becoming the latest in a long list of Brazilian stars to grace the Blaugrana turf. And Vickery explained how Catalonia is the player’s dream move, and he also hinted that Deco may be influencing decisions once more behind the scenes.
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“I think the one he wants is Barcelona - that's the one he's waiting on and that's why there's a delay here. He's waiting to see if Barcelona can get their finances together to pull this one off.” Vickery told Sky Sports . “If you're a Brazilian, it's almost impossible to say no to Barcelona, especially, coincidentally, if your name starts with an R. What a line of players he’d be putting himself in if he can go to Barcelona.
“Remember who his agent is – Deco, who didn't enjoy his time in London on or off the field. He told the Brazilian media at the time that he thought London was a city to visit and not a city to live in. So Raphinha has also got Deco in his ear saying he loved Barcelona and didn't like London so much.
“At the moment I think the wait there is to see if Barcelona can get the finances together. If not, I would have thought it's Chelsea in pole position. And the fascinating thing is that if Arsenal are going to bid, how do you fit in both Raphinha and Gabriel Jesus into the same side?"
How long Barcelona will take to reach an agreement remains to be seen, but both Raphinha and Deco have made clear their intentions. The winger is even prepared to accept a lower salary at Barcelona, compared to the reported offer of £120,000-per-week at Stamford Bridge - both offers are a significant increase on his current salary.
Those in charge at Elland Road will have their nerve tested in the coming weeks as pressure comes from all sides to strike a deal with Barcelona, but they will want to hold their own until the Catalan club match Chelsea’s bid.
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