Raphinha Considers Leaving FC Barcelona For Premier League: Reports

Misfit winger Raphinha is considering leaving FC Barcelona for the Premier
PINC
League, according to SPORT.

Barca bought the Brazilian for €55 million ($60 million) last summer after he refused to move to Chelsea when they had an offer accepted by the Leeds United first.

The 26-year-old’s time at Camp Nou hasn’t been a total disaster, as the number ’22’ is one of the few Blaugrana players this century to register double figures in goals and assists.

Tantrums thrown for being substituted have been low points, however, as have flat and dull performances when the team as a whole lacked an attacking edge through the absences of Pedri and Ousmane Dembele.

With Dembele now back from injury, SPORT reports how Raphinha fears he might be edged out of the starting lineup under Xavi Hernandez once more.

At present, Xavi’s system of four midfielders only caters for one pure wideman on the right, which will probably be Dembele again in the coming weeks. On the opposite flank, Gavi acts as a false left winger.

Irrespective of Raphinha’s mixed form, Barca might be forced to sell him due to the need to shed €200 million (€220 million) from the wage bill to make new signings ahead of the new season.

Earlier this week, Gerard Romero reported that moneyed Newcastle United have offered €80 million ($88 million) for the Porto Alegre native.

And while Barca could be tempted as they would make a profit on their attacker, Raphinha is also considering the move according to SPORT because of his fear of being pushed out of the first team and slipping down the pecking order when it comes to being selected for the Brazil national team.

In 2024, Brazil will head to the United States to try and wrest back the Copa America title they lost to Lionel Messi’s Argentina at the Maracana in 2021.

On that front, Raphinha faces positional rivalry from Manchester United’s Antony and Real Madrid’s Rodrygo among others.

If Raphinha doesn’t feature prominently in Xavi’s plans, he could become an afterthought for both club and country making moving on perhaps the best option for all concerned.