Official: Barcelona announce Raphinha deal with Leeds

Daniel Edwards

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

Barcelona have announced an agreement to sign Leeds United winger Raphinha, beating out Chelsea for the highly-rated Brazilian.

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Raphinha sparked a fierce transfer battle involving the player and all three clubs, following a disagreement with Leeds over his transfer destination.

While the Whites were keen to sell him to their Premier League rivals, who had made their interest known back in April while Leeds were fighting relegation, the Brazil star held out for Camp Nou.

That led to a tense stand-off that was eventually resolved in the Catalans' favour, with Raphinha now moving to La Liga in exchange for a fee that could rise to €75 million including bonuses and add-ons.

He becomes Barca's fourth confirmed signing of the summer so far, following ex-Milan star Franck Kessie, former Chelsea defender Andreas Christensen and teenage promise Pablo Torre, who joined at the start of July from Racing Santander.

Raphinha leaves an Elland Road favourite

Raphinha, 25, joined Leeds from Rennes ahead of the Whites' first season back in the Premier League in 2020, after gaining promotion under the watch of veteran Argentine coach Marcelo Bielsa.

The winger had impressed at both Rennes and previously at Sporting but still managed to exceed all expectations in his first campaign at Elland Road, adapting effortlessly to both the demands of the Premier League and Bielsa's all-action tactics.

The 2019-20 season yielded six goals and nine assists in 30 games for the Brazilian, who proved crucial in steering Leeds to a comfortable mid-table finish.

And while the Whites struggled to repeat that feat last term Raphinha once more stood out on an individual level as he contributed 11 goals and three assists to their quest for survival, eventually achieved on the very last day of the season.

His startling progress over the last two years has also been noticed at international level: Raphinha made his Brazil debut in August 2021 and is in the running to earn a World Cup place in a squad packed with elite attacking talent.