Leeds United winger Raphinha has been strongly linked with a move to Barcelona ahead of the summer transfer window. The Catalan outfit are reportedly in advanced talks with Raphinha’s agent Deco over personal terms but will wait until the end of the season to submit a bid, when Leeds’ Premier League status is decided.
But Barcelona are not the only side understood to be keen on the Brazilian, with Liverpool, PSG and Chelsea all also linked in recent months. With speculation already to continuing to mount despite the fact it is only March, Leeds Live brings you up to date with everything that has happened so far.
Mingueza makeweight?
Barcelona could reportedly look to use periphery defender Oscar Mingueza in the deal in order to try reduce the price. Leeds will reportedly demand a fee of around £60 million and with Barca still under financial scrutiny, it remains to be seen whether they can afford that.
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Mingueza has been reduced to a bit-part role since Xavi’s appointment as manager in November, with Eric Garcia, Gerard Pique and Ronald Araujo all ahead of him at centre-back, and Dani Alves and Sergino Dest both preferred options at right-back. The 22-year-old has made 61 appearances for Barcelona’s first team following his graduation from La Masia, and has already been capped on one occasion by Spain.
Valuation set
Leeds have informed Barcelona that they will have to pay a fee of £62 million for Raphinha, according to Sport. The Catalan outfit are thought to have made an opening offer of around £29 million for the 25-year-old, which was swiftly rejected by the Whites.
The future of Ousmane Dembele is likely to be a key deciding factor behind Barca’s pursuit of Raphinha, as if he decides against signing a new deal at the Camp Nou, that would free up some finances, allowing them to make their move.
Good fit for Liverpool?
Former Liverpool winger John Barnes thinks Raphinha would be a ‘good fit’ for Liverpool but does not see him moving to Anfield. The Reds are stacked with high quality players in their front line, with Mo Salah, Sadio Mane, Diogo Jota, Luis Diaz and Roberto Firmino all currently vying for three spots.
Barnes told BonusCodeBets : “Roberto Firmino will not be leaving Liverpool this summer. Liverpool would love to keep him. If a player becomes available, they’d like to sign them, but Leeds United’s Raphinha has also been linked with Barcelona - it’s all speculation.
“You can pick any player out of the air and ask if they’d be good for Liverpool, as I always say with the likes of Yves Bissouma, but he probably won’t come to the club, the same with Kalvin Phillips. Raphinha would be a good fit for Liverpool, but I don’t expect him to move to the club.”
Bookies odds
According to the bookies, Barcelona are the currently the clear favourites to sign Raphinha this summer. They are currently priced at 7/4, way ahead of the next in the list Bayern Munich, who are seen as 7/1 outsiders.
Despite continuous links with Liverpool, they are even further back at 10/1, with Chelsea at 14/1 and PSG huge outsiders at 20/1.
