Leeds United: Phil Hay shares £70m Raphinha update amid Barcelona financial reveal
Phil Hay has been told by his sources at Leeds United that it will take a bid worth between £60million and £70million for the club to consider selling Raphinha this summer.
Writing on The Athletic website on 3 June, with the help of La Liga correspondent Dermot Corrigan, Hay reports that Raphinha, 25, has not asked for a move away from Elland Road and that Barcelona are yet to bolster up their interest in signing him since the Premier League season ended.
It is understood the financial issues at Barca are likely to prevent them from signing Raphinha until late in the summer transfer window and the Brazil winger could even return to Thorp Arch for pre-season training within a matter of weeks.
Bayern Munich are also said to be keen on Raphinha “but they have made no contact with Leeds”.
Writing on The Athletic website, Hay said: “Raphinha has two years left on his deal and Leeds will be conscious of the fact that, if he stays, his value will be considerably lower in 12 months than it is now. But sources have indicated to The Athletic that it is likely to take a bid of between £60 million and £70 million to get Raphinha out of Elland Road — potentially four times what they paid for him less than two years ago.”
Barca could also reportedly offer a player-plus-cash deal for Leeds in order to sign Raphinha.
Hay and Corrigan add: “Barcelona might try to dangle surplus players in part-exchange, a way of cheapening any deal for them. But La Liga’s salary-cap rules would make that process complicated as a set percentage of money received would have to be spent servicing their debt.
“Also, Leeds have pre-existing plans for the coming window and might not be interested in a cash-plus-player proposal.”
Long summer
Barcelona need to do a lot of wheeling and dealing both in terms of their squad and their assets in order to be able to register new signings in their squad.
The Athletic claims that their new signings Andreas Christiansen and Franck Kessie are unable to be registered in Xavi’s squad due to the club exceeding their salary cap.
Barca do have players who reportedly want to quit the Nou Camp but agreeing deals with clubs elsewhere is bound to be difficult especially as interested clubs know the situation in Catalonia and will most likely send low-ball offers the way of the Spanish giants.
Raphinha wants Barcelona, Barcelona want Raphinha but Barcelona simply cannot afford him at this stage.
What happens from here if Barca cannot free up the funds to sign the Brazilian winger?
Deco, Raphinha’s agent, is bound to want the ex-Rennes ace to head to the Nou Camp as he’s reportedly seen as Barca’s South American scout due to his ties to the club.
But there are other teams who’ll no doubt take on Raphinha and Bayern do look as though they’re an interesting prospect – especially given the situation surrounding Serge Gnabry’s future at the Allianz Arena [Fabrizio Romano].
Bayern could be the ones to watch if Barca fail to afford Raphinha.
In other Leeds United news, the Whites have triggered a release clause to sign this new player.