Craig Scott

Tue 29 March 2022 16:40, UK

Fabrizio Romano has finally clarified that Raphinha doesn’t have an active release clause in his contract at Leeds United.

The Guardian journalist has previously tweeted several times about Raphinha, 25, having a release clause worth £63.4million (€75million) in his contract at Elland Road.

Local media in Yorkshire have continually rubbished this. The Athletic journalist Phil Hay made it abundantly clear on Monday [28 March] that he’d “been told consistently the only release clause in the contract relates to relegation”.

Now, transfer expert Romano has changed his tune to be in sync with Hay but adds that Barcelona are in advanced talks with Raphinha’s agent Deco over personal terms.

He adds that still, no bid has been made to Leeds by Barca.

There you have it

Even if there was that huge release clause in Raphinha’s contract, we doubt that Barcelona would get anywhere near to triggering it with their financial issues right now.

However, as stressed by Hay, the relegation release clause in Raphinha’s contract is kind of irrelevant because if the Whits do go down, he’d be snapped up for a low price anyway.

Leeds should be able to stay up in the Premier League after back-to-back wins before the international break and with them also having some favourable fixtures on the horizon.

Raphinha’s form lately has been poor but the Brazilian international has definitely helped the Yorkshire giants keep their heads above water for most of the campaign with his goals and playmaking ability.

It’ll be a massive shame to see the back of the ex-Rennes winger in the summer but it does seem really inevitable now.

He’s been a great servant but he’s someone who deserves to be playing at a higher level than in a Premier League relegation battle.

We just hope that he can arrest his slump in form and do better between now and the end of the campaign.

In other Leeds United news, the Whites can finally get rid of this “stinking” 29-year-old with a free transfer likely in the summer.