Raphinha set to destroy Leeds reputation as mega transfer offer could trigger Premier League return
Raphinha could be about to destroy his reputation at Leeds United by making a surprise return to the Premier League.
The Barcelona winger remains a fan favourite at Elland Road after the influential role that he played in keeping the club in the top-flight back in 2021-22.
Leeds fans still hold Raphinha in extremely high regard after his 11-goal effort played a key role in securing survival in that campaign, before he then joined Barcelona for a fee in the region of £55million.
The Brazilian’s career has gone from strength to strength since his departure from LS11, and his return to his former club could be about to come much sooner than expected.
Man United are preparing an offer for Raphinha next summer
Raphinha’s stock has skyrocketed since he left Leeds, and he even finished fifth in the Ballon D’Or rankings for 2025.
The Whites would have been delighted to see their former star win the prized gong, as it could have seen them bank as much as £10m as a result.
However, he could now be about to deal a very different emotion to his old club and their fans in the coming months.
- Raphinha notched 29 goal contributions during his two years at Leeds
- No Leeds player recorded more goal involvements in that time
Manchester United are understood to be preparing a mega transfer offer of around £105m for the 28-year-old, according to reports from Fichajes.
Leeds’ bitter rivals are thought to need Champions League football to have any possibility of convincing Raphinha to join them next summer, although the prospect of a return to the Premier League is believed to be appealing for him.
Such an offer would undoubtedly be hard for Barcelona to refuse, even as a club of their stature.
Leeds fans would give their former hero a warm welcome back to Elland Road if he joined any other Premier League team, but if he moved to Manchester United, it would surely destroy the positive feeling towards him.
Raphinha remains Leeds’ record sale
The quality of Raphinha’s performances for Leeds during his two-year stint is highlighted by the fact that he remains their record sale.
| Player | Buyer | Fee | |
| 1 | Raphinha | Barcelona (2022) | £55m |
| 2 | Kalvin Phillips | Manchester City (2022) | £42m |
| 3 | Georginio Rutter | Brighton (2024) | £40m |
| 4 | Rio Ferdinand | Manchester United (2002) | £30m |
| 5 | Archie Gray | Tottenham (2024) | £30m |
The West Yorkshire outfit sold him on to Barcelona after 29 Premier League goal involvements in just two seasons, and the £55m fee that they received remains unmatched.
Kalvin Phillips left to join Manchester City just weeks before, and even his departure wasn’t able to raise such a significant fee for Leeds.
Daniel Farke’s men find themselves back in the big time this term and making positive strides towards survival.
However, it is sure to be several years before the Whites have a player who can generate a bigger fee for them than Raphinha.
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