Raphinha: Would I join Real Madrid?

FT Desk

• 8 Nov 2022 16:55 GMT
• 3 min read

Things are yet to work out for Raphinha since his €58 million move from Leeds to Barcelona in the summer…

Raphinha was in high demand this summer having impressed in the Premier League with Leeds, and Barcelona were pleased to beat Chelsea to the Brazilian's signature.

The 25-year-old winger will also likely be a starter for Brazil at the upcoming World Cup in Qatar, having contributed five goals and four assists in his first 11 caps with the Selecao.

READ: One goal and assist in 14 games - Raphinha a €60m FLOP

But things haven't been going quite so well at the Camp Nou, with Raphina scoring just once in 17 games in all competitions - albeit alongside four assists - and he appears to have drifted behind Ousmane Dembele, Ferran Torres and Ansu Fati in Xavi's thinking for a wide attacking spot.

Speculation has been beginning to mount that Barca would be ready to cash in already, especially after they exited this season's Champions League at the group stage, but there is no way he'd play for the other half of the Clasico divide.

— Football Transfers (@Transfersdotcom) July 24, 2022

'Barca dream'

"Of course, I'd say 'no' to Real Madrid," Raphinha told Sique Rodriguez and Lluis Flaquer on the Que T'hi Jugues podcast on Cadena SER. "Playing for Barca was the dream I had as a child."

READ: Xavi's 'dream' front three at Barcelona revealed

Of Barca's four wingers, it is unfortunate for Raphinha that Dembele's preferred side is on the right - the same as Raphinha's. The Frenchman has been Barca's most productive attacker after Robert Lewandowski with five goals and seven assists in all competitions.

"I had a talk with Xavi, and told him that I'd love to play on the right. I told him that I'd like to compete where I can contribute to the team. I didn't mind competing with Dembele. On the left I can't contribute much."

Javier Saviola was the last player to move directly from Barcelona to Real Madrid when he left the Cam Nou on a free transfer back in 2007.