FC Barcelona And Leeds United Reach Transfer Agreement For Raphinha

FC Barcelona and Leeds United have reached an agreement for the transfer of Raphinha.

The Brazil international has been the Blaugrana’s top target for the right wing this summer amid interest from other clubs such as Chelsea and Arsenal.

On Friday, SPORT reported that the Catalans had launched a final bid for the 25-year-old which could be accepted over the weekend with Raphinha landing in Barcelona as early as Monday to sign his contract.

According to Sports Illustrated’s Ben Jacobs, who was one of the leading reporters on the recent Chelsea takeover by Todd Boehly’s consortium, Barca and Leeds have reached an agreement for Raphinha’s transfer.

It was previously said by SPORT that Barca’s final offer was €55mn ($55.6mn), which was some way short of Chelsea’s £55mn ($66mn) proposal.

Other sources said that Barca’s bid with add-ons was nearer to what Chelsea tabled, though, yet Jacobs claims that the deal agreed by the La Liga giants and the Yorkshiremen is something closer to €75mn ($76.4mn).

“Barcelona were always confident of getting Raphinha but it’s not true the deal has been in place for weeks. Only tonight,” Jacobs added, with the general consensus being that Raphinha and his agent Deco have been holding out for Barca to make a solid approach as they are the player’s dream club.

Raphinha’s expected arrival had long been tipped to complicate matters for Ousmane Dembele, who became a free agent after June 30.

Yet it is said that there is a desire to have both men in Xavi Hernandez’s first team squad if the numbers can work, and the Frenchman now looks set to stay at the Camp Nou after all.

“Xavi has pushed hard for the Dembele contract to be approved in the past 48 hours. Barring a late twist, he’ll sign a two-year deal with a 40% pay cut,” Jacobs reveals in reference to this.

In Catalonia, it has been pushed for some time that Dembele will be paid something in the region of €6-7mn ($6.1-7.1mn) per season which is more or less what teenage wonderkids Ansu Fati and Pedri currently take home.