Raphinha transfer to Chelsea: What is the state of play?

FT Desk

Updated: 23 May 2023 08:46 CDT
3 min read

Leeds' Brazil winger Raphinha is in high demand, and Chelsea have pulled to the front of the queue to sign him ahead of Arsenal, Barcelona and Tottenham Hotspur.

Article continues under the video

Raphinha was always likely to attract interest this summer after putting up 11 goals and three assists for a team that finished just three points clear of the Premier League relegation places, and a move to Chelsea now looks imminent.

How much will Raphinha cost?

Leeds had told interested clubs that Raphinha's asking price would be £60/€65 million, and while the North London clubs were not prepared to meet that fee, Barcelona simply couldn't amid their current financial dire straits.

As reported by us in February, Chelsea want to sign Raphinha this summer! ☀️ https://t.co/L3aCGwxOAI
— Football Transfers (@Transfersdotcom) June 28, 2022

Chelsea - who are also still in the race for Manchester City winger Raheem Sterling - have made the only bid that satisfies Leeds, and personal terms are the only thing left to be settled between the Blues and Raphinha.

Raphinha is approaching his footballing prime at 25 and is currently Leeds' highest-paid player earning €73,700/£63,500 a week or €3.8/£3.3m a year. He could double that and still have eight players above him in Chelsea's pay scale.

Deco - the former Portugal midfielder who won the domestic double with Chelsea in 2010 - is Raphinha's agent, and his presence is expected to smooth negotiations, with an agreement imminent.

FootballTransfers were the first to report on Chelsea's interest in Raphinha back in February. At the time, there was still a possibility of signing the winger for as little as €25 million, in the event of a Leeds relegation.

Raphinha will become the first signing of the Todd Boehly era at Stamford Bridge, with Sterling among their primary targets to follow him.

The Blues have also been linked with defensive reinforcements, with Juventus's Matthijs de Ligt the favourite to plug the gap at the back left by the departing Antonio Rudiger and Andres Christensen.