Author: Soorya G
Barcelona have decided to put Brazilian star Raphinha up for sale and will accept offers to negotiate the transfer of the talented winger. The former Leeds United player, who didn’t have a great season, arrived at Camp Nou last summer and could well be on his way out before the start of next season. However, it’s not a purely footballing decision that will force the former Premier League star to leave the club, but a combination of financial issues and lack of playing time. It has already been well documented that the Blaugrana are in an unstable financial situation and will need to get rid of a considerable part of their payroll and generate money from sales in order to be able to make signings in the next few transfer windows.
Barcelona are also dreaming of a reunion with Lionel Messi, who has practically decided to leave Paris Saint-Germain after a troubled two-year relationship with the French champions. If Messi returns to Barcelona, he will arrive as a World Cup winner, having won soccer’s top prize just a few months ago. In that case, a striker will have to be sold to accommodate the Argentine idol, and the sale of Raphinha makes the most sense from that perspective, as it is unlikely that he will be playing with Messi, occupying the right side of the attacking trio.
According to reports, Barcelona have set a price of 80 million euros for the Brazilian. Although Raphinha had a good start to the season, scoring several goals, he ended up having to make way for Ousmane Dembele, who returned from injury. Although the winger is not keen on leaving the Catalan side, this could be the best option for his career, with Newcastle United showing great interest. Although Chelsea went after the player last season, it remains to be seen whether they will attempt a transfer this season as well, considering the number of signings they have already made. It’s likely that the two-time Champions League winners will try to sign Raphinha, only if João Felix leaves.