Raphinha sets a 48-hour signing deadline for Barcelona.
According to Fabrizio Romano, Leeds United are still holding out on Barcelona's improved transfer offer for Raphinha after Barcelona made an improved offer of 60 million and 10 million in add-ons.
Raphinha has
also given Barcelona 48 hours to complete his move from Leeds United, failing
which Chelsea may re-enter the race for the Brazilian winger. Leeds' preferred
bidders were Chelsea, who were the first to match Raphinha's £60m/€70.8m asking
price, but the winger and his agent Deco had already agreed personal terms with
Barcelona in May.
Barcelona has
since taken steps to alleviate their financial woes by selling a portion of
their future TV rights, and they have been able to sign Franck Kessie and
Andreas Christensen. While a €70 million fee is at the upper end of their
budget, especially with a €50 million move for Bayern Munich's Robert
Lewandowski also in the works, Barcelona are said to have matched Chelsea's
offer, though they will pay it in installments. Raphinha and Deco have given
Barcelona and Leeds 48 hours to strike a deal or they will return to the
Chelsea bid, with Arsenal dropping out of the race to sign the 25-year-old.
Raphinha's next destination is unlikely to be a problem for Leeds, who have
already signed him.
"We'll just have to wait and see what happens in the next few days," Leeds coach Jesse Marsch said. "I know he has dreams and hopes." I know he adores this team and this club, and he enjoys his time here. We'll see how things go from day to day.
Barcelona are
looking to strengthen their right flank during the summer transfer window. For
some time now, the Catalans have been attempting to sign Ousmane Dembele to a
new contract.
And, while some
reports claim that the Frenchman has agreed to terms on a new contract, he must
still wait to see if Mateu Alemany approves. Things aren't getting any clearer
in their pursuit of Leeds attacker Raphinha. Depending on where you read, the
Brazilian international could be playing for Chelsea or the Nou Camp next
season. Given Barcelona's financial constraints, it's possible that they'll
have to pick one or the other—so who should they prioritise?
Raphinha vs.
Dembele
Both are
25-year-old wingers with exceptional technical ability. Both players have no
trouble beating their men and getting into dangerous areas, with Raphinha
ranking in the 83 percentile of right-wingers in the top five leagues for
successful box entries and Dembele at 99. Similarly, in the last 365 days, the
former Borussia Dortmund attacker has 99 assists while the Leeds player has 49.
The teams they play for, and the chances they create, are, of course, a caveat;
Leeds and Barcelona are chalk and cheese in this regard. However, if the La
Liga club wants to sign a player who can both score and create, they should
look no further than Raphinha.
Aside from
statistics, the biggest challenge for Barcelona with Dembele will be his injury
history and inconsistency. Even if a deal for the winger is reached, it will be
a matter of ensuring that he is firing on all cylinders.
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