{{primary_category}}
{{/primary_category}} 
Raphinha agrees five-year deal to quit Leeds United, Barcelona line up second bid after initial rejection
Raphinha has agreed a five-year deal with Barcelona with the Leeds United winger now dead set on quitting Elland Road in the summer, according to Sport.
The Spanish news outlet reports that Raphinha, 25, has “gladly accepted” personal terms with Barca but it is understood that Liverpool and Bayern Munich, who are also interested in the Brazil international, could blow the Catalans out of the water with the money they can offer.
Leeds are yet to agree a deal with Barcelona. Sport claims that an opening bid of £29.1million has been rejected by the La Liga club is now set to table a second bid for the former Rennes and Sporting CP star.
Deco, Raphinha’s agent, will reportedly apply pressure on Leeds’ top-brass in order to get them to accept Barca’s second offer.
Barcelona centre-back Óscar Mingueza could be offered to the Whites in a player-plus-cash agreement for Raphinha.
Disappointing
It worries us that we’re still technically in a battle against relegation and our best player this season has now reportedly agreed to leave in the summer.
Deco’s backhanded tactics won’t ever be forgotten and we’re also really annoyed that Raphinha couldn’t wait until the summer to start thinking about his future.
Yes, he’s a low-earner at Elland Road [Phil Hay] but that doesn;t make this right.
While Sport reports that Raphinha will continue to put 100 per cent into his performances at Elland Road, there’s still that element of doubt that his form will drop.
It already has dropped, in all honesty.
Since the winter international break when Raphinha went to Brazil, the winger’s displays have been worse.
The 25-year-old has scored one goal and supplied one assist in eight Premier League appearances since that break, which is less than what we’d expect from him.
Leeds have shown they can win without the Brazilian before this break with a 3-2 victory at Wolves while he was out with COVID.
If the club can get good money for Raphinha then he’s welcome to go.
We love the guy but this stinks.
In other Leeds United news, Marcelo Bielsa is set to hold talks about his next job after being sacked by the Whites.