Leeds United likely to sell Raphinha after 2022 FIFA World Cup
Leeds United are reportedly not likely to sell Raphinha in the summer even if he does not sign a new deal at the club.
According to Mirror journalist James Nursery, the Whites will possibly sell the Brazilian after the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Once the tournament commences, it will be the January transfer window and that’s when he expects a sale.
Via his personal Twitter account, he wrote, “Raphinha, even though he has not signed a new contract, I am not sure Leeds will sell him this summer.
“They’d like to keep him ideally but if he still doesn’t sign fresh terms, a January 2023 sale after the winter World Cup with Brazil is most likely from what I have heard.”
Makes sense
If Raphinha doesn’t sign a new deal, there’s a good chance that he’s sold within the next two windows.
However, we think that he will put pen to paper to a new Leeds deal and possibly demand a release clause to be included in it.
This would mean that he would hold the cards to his future should any team match his valuation.
The likes of Chelsea and Liverpool would certainly be able to afford that buyout clause so we don’t think that it would damage the Whites in any way.
However, that will mean that if he has a great World Cup, even though his value will increase, Leeds will be unable to demand a bigger transfer fee.
That is just something they will have to deal with if it means that Raphinha stays on for another 12 months.
In other Leeds United news, Phil Hay has issued a major update on the succession plan after Marcelo Bielsa’s exit