Barcelona block Raphinha over Leeds United exit, patience key to get deal done
Barcelona have reportedly blocked Leeds United ace Raphinha from joining another club this summer as long as they’re still keen on him.
According to Spanish publication Marca, the Catalan giants ‘block’ the Brazilian until they make an official statement.
They’re looking to finalise ‘three phases’ to get the deal over the line and are counting on his patience throughout the process.
These include getting rid of players, recouping money to reinvest in the squad as well as setting priorities for the coming transfer windows.
Waiting game?
It seems that Barcelona are keeping Raphinha hanging until they get everything in place to sign him.
However, there are no guarantees that they will, given their recent FFP woes.
They’re also looking to sign Robert Lewandowski from Bayern Munich and that deal is certainly not going to be cheap.
Once they’ve set their priorities, they may even realise that Raphinha is too expensive for them – especially if Leeds avoid getting relegated.
Rather than that, if the Whites secure Premier League status for next season, the Brazilian will be best suited to playing there for another season.
The board are certainly going to back Jesse Marsch and the Whites can once again push for a top-half finish.
It remains to be seen how this long-drawn saga transpires in the coming weeks and these undoubtedly will be nervous times for Leeds fans who desperately want him to stay.
In Leeds United news, an under-the-radar court case involving the transfer of a Leeds player has reached its conclusion with the final payout revealed.