Arsenal ‘Weighing Up’ Move for Barcelona Star Raphinha
Highlights
- Arsenal have signed Riccardo Calafiori, with Raphinha possibly next up to bolster their ranks.
- Barcelona are looking to offload players; and they may move Raphinha to fund new signings.
- Arsenal are interested due to Raphinha’s Premier League success and he could be available for around £42m.
Arsenal have recently added to their ranks with the signing of Riccardo Calafiori from Bologna – but their spending may not stop there, with reports from Spain linking Barcelona winger Raphinha with a move to the club, with the Blaugrana needing to sell to buy.
The Gunners have narrowly missed out on the Premier League title for two seasons in a row, and fans are vying for that elusive trophy after a 20-year hiatus; and with new signings en route, there is every chance that the Gunners will finally end their barren spell over the next year. Attacking reinforcements would be ideal, with the Gunners needing a talisman to lead them to glory, but another creator could be on his way – with Raphinha being touted to move.
Arsenal ‘Weighing Up’ Raphinha Move
The winger could be a superb addition at the Emirates Stadium
The report from Sport states that Barcelona need to sell some players in order to buy new stars in positions that are needed – and with stars such as Ronald Araujo, Ansu Fati and Frenkie de Jong being injured, there aren’t many players who can be sold for big money in order to fund a move for other targets.
As a result, Raphinha remains one of the only players in that bracket, and despite previously stating that he does not want to leave the Catalan club, there is the possibility that Barca sign Nico Williams – and that could force his exit.
Arsenal, as a result, are one of the ‘several’ clubs interested in his signature – with the Gunners weighing up an effort to sign him. Already proven at Premier League level with Leeds United, Raphinha has improved on his time at Elland Road with 20 goals and 25 assists in just 87 appearances for the Camp Nou outfit.
Speaking on the tricky winger, former Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez was full of praise…
“The real Raphinha is the one we saw in Paris. He’s intense, finds the space, creating chances. He’s one of the best players in the world when it’s the moment to attack the space.”
Raphinha’s La Liga statistics – Barcelona squad ranking |
||
---|---|---|
Stats |
Output |
Squad rank |
Appearances |
28 |
=10th |
Assists |
9 |
=1st |
Key Passes Per Game |
1.5 |
=2nd |
Dribbles Per Game |
0.9 |
=7th |
Shots Per Game |
2.1 |
3rd |
Match rating |
6.99 |
7th |
The report states that last season, Xavi found a way to integrate him into the starting XI, which saw him line up in the half-space between the wing and central midfield, which would be beneficial to Mikel Arteta as that would see the Brazilian line up with Martin Odegaard in the midfield role and Bukayo Saka doing the work out on the flanks.
Arsenal are said to be following his case in terms of a sale being needed ‘very closely’ – and a report from the Daily Mirror has suggested that he could be available for around £42million with a return to England being floated after just two years.
Leeds United Spell Shows Raphinha’s Talent
The Brazilian excelled in the Premier League
The Brazil international has already proven himself in the Premier League thanks to a two-year spell at Leeds. Joining from Rennes back in 2020, the Brazilian scored six goals in his first season – before a superb campaign in 2021-22 saw him almost singlehandedly keep the Whites up with 11 goals in 35 games in the top-flight.
That saw Barcelona take him on a permanent deal that saw the Catalan club pay £50million for his services, and whilst he has had two decent seasons in La Liga, he could be used as a pawn from Barca bosses if it allows them to strengthen in other areas across the pitch.
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Statistics courtesy of WhoScored. Correct as of 29-07-24.