Spanish journalist suggests Joan Laporta can’t pronounce Raphinha correctly amid Leeds United exit talk
Spanish journalist Quim Domènech suggests that Barcelona president Joan Laporta can’t pronounce Raphinha correctly as the La Liga giants aim to sign the Leeds United winger.
Barcelona have been strongly linked with a move for the 25-year-old Brazil international in recent weeks and Domènech, speaking on El Chiringuito TV, reports that he’s favoured by Laporta.
However, Laporta doesn’t seem to pronounce Raphinha’s name the same way that everyone else does.
“There is a good relationship with his agents, saying that it is a more than feasible option,” said Domenech.
“I would say that right now the favourite among those options that are on the table for the president personally is Raphinha.
“Why does the president call him ‘Ra-pi-nha’? There are people who are going to tell me that it is Raphinha.
“The president insists he speaks of ‘Ra-pi-nha’ and with which he will surely say it wrong, but I am going to say Raphinha.”
Sell up?
Raphinha’s form still worries us.
He’s not been the same since the January transfer window closed.
Whether that’s a coincidence or not, we’ll probably never know. However, it seems to us as though Raphinha does want to leave Leeds for Barcelona.
For a Brazilian player who’s obviously very, very talented, we totally understand why because Leeds will never be the club Barcelona is.
It’s unlikely there’ll be young lads growing up in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo with Leeds shirts with Kalvin Phillips’ name on the back. They’ll all have the garnet and blue of Barcelona with Neymar, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Dani Alves, Rivaldo and Romario on the back.
Barcelona are deeply connected to Brazilian football and on top of that, they play in Europe every season and regularly challenge for silverware.
Yes, they have massive financial issues but they’re bound to overcome them and figure out a way to pay up for Raphinha.
We’ll be stunned if this is a deal that doesn’t go through in the summer.
In other Leeds United news, there’s a “massive problem” coming for the Whites after a new update on Kalvin Phillips emerged.