FC Barcelona have lodged their final bid for Leeds United’s Raphinha.
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FC Barcelona have launched their final bid for Raphinha, which could be accepted by his club Leeds United in the coming hours on Friday.
The Brazilian is Barca’s top transfer target for the right wing this summer with Ousmane Dembele’s contract having expired after June 30.
The Frenchman has had a renewal offer on the table since the turn of 2022. And while there were previously reports that both 25-year-olds could fit into Xavi Hernandez’s first team squad without issues, it now seems that the head coach will choose Raphinha over the World Cup winner.
On Friday, then, Barca are said to have made a fresh, final €55mn ($55.6mn) bid for Brazil star Raphinha that Leeds United could accept in the coming hours according to SPORTS.
This would be done in order to stop Raphinha traveling to Australia with the Yorkshiremen, and getting a deal over the line will also allow Barca’s potential new signing the chance to join them in the United States for their own preseason tour.
Speaking to The Athletic, Leeds’ American coach Jesse Marsch said there was “urgency” from Raphinha’s camp – headed by Barca legend and modern day agent Deco – to come up with a solution.
“We have to in the next couple of days see how things stand and see how we go. It hasn’t been an easy time for him this summer. Things have come and gone and there have been a lot of little discussions. Right now he’s our player,” added Marsch.
“We just have to wait and see what happens in the next couple of days,” Marsch also said, admitting that he doesnt know if Raphinha will head Down Under.
“I know he has hopes and dreams. I know he loves this team and this club and he loves being here. We’ll see how things progress day by day,” Marsch went on.
Despite Chelsea’s £55mn ($66mn) offer for him being higher than Barca’s, Raphinha prioritizes a move to the Camp Nou above all else amid additional interest from Arsenal.
Now it is just a case of seeing whether Leeds accept Barca’s latest proposal and can get a deal hashed out post haste over the weekend.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/tomsanderson/2022/07/08/fc-barcelona-submit-final-raphinha-offer-for-leeds-to-accept-today/