Newcastle United have offered FC Barcelona €80 million ($88 million) to sign Rahpinha, according to Gerard Romero.
Romero is regarded as the leading expert when it comes to Barca’s dealings in the transfer market.
Last summer, he dropped several exclusives related to Rahpinha’s eventual €55 million ($60 million) move from Leeds United after Chelsea had made a similar offer, and also that which saw Jules Kounde snub the west Londoners for the Blaugrana.
On Wednesday, Romero reported through his Jijantes FC channel that Newcastle United are willing to take Raphinha’s off Barca’s hands for an even bigger fee of €80 ($88 million), such is their desire to unite the winger with Brazilian compatriots Bruno Guimaraes and Joelinton at St. James Park.
Romero’s claims come after Mundo Deportivo reported that Newcastle, regarded as the ‘richest club in the world’ after a Saudi takeover in late 2021, were ready to table a proposal for the 26-year-old.
Newcastle could offer Raphinha the chance to play Champions League football next season, and would be an undoubted starter under Eddie Howe.
At Camp Nou at present, Raphinha is likely to be pushed out of the starting line up now that Ousmane Dembele has returned from injury.
In Xavi Hernandez’s current four-man midfield, there is only space for one pure wideman as Gavi operates a false left winger.
Furthermore, fans in Catalonia aren’t entirely convinced by the number ’22’ despite his respectable return of 10 goals and 11 assists in his maiden campaign.
Xavi has currently backed Raphinha in public, but the club might not be able to turn down such an offer for him given their well-documented financial problems.
Barca are mired in debts, and have been forced to shed €200 million ($220 million) on the orders of La Liga president Javier Tebas.
Amid their quest to re-sign Lionel Messi, Barca have drawn up a viability plan that lays out how they plan to make two big sales so that four new players can come in according to Romano.
As well as Raphinha, Ansu Fati might also be offloaded to the Premier
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Simultaneously, however, Fati’s father Bori Fati insisted to SPORT on Tuesday night that his son is staying put at his boyhood club.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/tomsanderson/2023/05/03/newcastle-united-reportedly-make-90-million-offer-to-sign-raphinha-from-fc-barcelona/