Newcastle United and Chelsea will have to pay €80 million to acquire the services of Barcelona forward Raphinha.
According to the SPORT, Newcastle United and Chelsea are looking to sign Raphinha in the summer. The 26-year-old’s future at Barcelona is uncertain. The Catalan giants are ready to offload him in the summer. But, they will only let the Brazil international leave for a fee of €80 million or above.
Raphinha came into the limelight while playing for Leeds United. He made quite a name for himself while playing for the Whites. And his performances resulted in a big-money move to Barcelona ahead of the ongoing season.
The 26-year-old has featured in 45 matches since joining the club. He has managed to find the back of the net on ten occasions and also has 11 assists to his name. While he has done a decent job for the Barcelona, the Brazil international is not the preferred choice at right-wing for Xavi. The Spanish manager prefers having Ousmane Dembele on the right flank over the Brazilian.
Meanwhile, with Lionel Messi likely to return to the club, he might fall further down in the pecking order. As a result, the player is open to a move away from the club despite initially hesitating. Meanwhile, Barcelona can make a decent profit by selling him for €80 million, with his departure which can allow them to balance their books amidst a financial crisis.
Barcelona bought Raphinha for €58 million plus add-ons a year back. And, selling him for €80 million will surely help their cause. The Catalan giants are keen on getting it done before the end of the season. That is because it will allow them to make register new signings ahead of next term.
Chelsea and Newcastle United are keen on having the 26-year-old in their ranks. The Blues tried signing him last summer but lost out to Barcelona. They are willing to push again in the summer. Chelsea are looking to add an attacking threat as well as goals to their squad, and the Brazilian can surely help them become a more potent attack. Meanwhile, Newcastle are willing to increase his wages in order to lure him to the club.
The Magpies are all set to feature in the Champions League next season. And, they are looking to reinforce their squad to be competitive in both the league as well as UCL. Raphinha has been on their radar for a while now. Eddie Howe wants more firepower in attack, and he believes adding the 26-year-old could help them take the next step.
