Raphinha drops massive hint about quitting Leeds United in summer amid Barcelona speculation
Raphinha’s future has been talked about a lot over the last couple of months with the Leeds United star strongly linked with a move to Barcelona.
On 25 March, Fabrizio Romano reported that Raphinha’s agent Deco was in advanced talks with Barcelona but negotiations with Leeds are yet to start.
Goal claimed five days later that the 25-year-old Brazil international is keen on making the move to the Nou Camp while Barca president Joan Laporta has confirmed his interest in a deal [RAC 1].
Raphinha has been the star of the show for Leeds in the Premier League but it would be fair to say that his form has dipped since the end of the January transfer window.
In January, The Guardian reported that West Ham had a bid for Raphinha turned down and had he made that move to the London Stadium, he’d be playing in a Europa League semi-final tonight [28 April].
And it seems that Raphinha has all but given up on the prospect of playing European football with Leeds any time soon, even though he thinks that’s where the Whites should be playing for a club their size.
“Leeds is a club with a great tradition in England, it’s a club that’s really well known,” Raphinha told BBC’s West Yorkshire Sport Daily. “I think traditionally, they’re one of the best. In recent years, however, the club has spent time in the lower leagues.
“But I think now, Leeds needs to be ambitious as a club, it needs to aim to stay in the Premier League and then improve season upon season to get back to where they were not long ago – fighting for titles and trying to get into Europe.
“I think that’s what will happen.
“It’s not going to be this year, obviously, it might not be next year. But that is the plan for the club to return to the way it was before.”
Raphinha is more than good enough to play for a team that’s in Europe.
At the end of the day, he’s a regular starter for Brazil and one of the most exciting players in the Premier League. However, this season, he’s been in a relegation battle.
Leeds could get a lot of money for Raphinha if the Brazilian is sold this summer. Paul Robinson suggested to MOT Leeds News earlier this month that the Whites could get as much as £90million for the ex-Rennes attacker.
Of course, that’s a lot and we don’t expect that to be the figure that Leeds do eventually pocket for the impressive winger.
But, still, it looks increasinly likely that Raphinha will be on his way out of Elland Road this summer with his latest interview suggesting that his ambitions do not align with what’s realistic in West Yorkshire.
In other Leeds United news, Raphinha and Kalvin Phillips have send messages to one of their exit-linked teammates.