Chelsea are reportedly the latest club to register an interest in Leeds United talisman and Brazil winger Raphinha.
According to a report from Italian journalist Gianluigi Longari, Chelsea hold a strong interest in Leeds United’s Brazilian attacker Raphinha, along with several other top clubs across Europe.
Raphinha signed for Leeds United only last year from French club Rennes. The 25-year-old played a key role in the Whites enjoying a fine season on their return to the Premier League after a 16-year hiatus. While Marcelo Bielsa’s side have been unable to build on their impressive last season, the Brazilian winger has continued to enhance his reputation with impressive displays this time out.
To date, Raphinha has made 47 appearances for the Yorkshire-based outfit, scoring 14 goals in the process. Eight of those have come in the ongoing Premier League campaign, with the 25-year-old finding the net once every 169 minutes.
The ex-Sporting CP winger’s performances earned him a call-up to the Brazilian national team, for whom he has performed well and even earned praises from compatriot and Chelsea defender Thiago Silva. And it seems like it is not just the veteran defender who admires Raphinha, but his club Chelsea are also interested in the attacker.
Chelsea have a plethora of attacking talent already at their disposal. However, the performances of Christian Pulisic have not been up to the mark, leading to speculations that the Blues would be willing to offload the USMNT star. The same goes for Hakim Ziyech, who has struggled to make the kind of impact expected of him upon his arrival from AFC Ajax last year.
Amid interest from several top clubs in Europe, there have been claims that Chelsea could move him on for the right offer. Should that indeed be the case, Thomas Tuchel will need to bring in reinforcements to bolster his attacking options, making Raphihna a viable target for the reigning champions of Europe.
At 25, the Brazilian still has his best years ahead of him, while he has proven himself at the Premier League level over the past 15 months. However, signing him would not be straightforward for Chelsea as Raphinha is also courting serious interest from German champions Bayern Munich, while Liverpool have also been mentioned as ardent suitors in the past.
Furthermore, Leeds themselves would be reluctant to lose one of their best players, especially considering that his contract runs until the summer of 2024. It remains to be seen if Chelsea decide to act on their reported interest in Raphinha in January or the summer. For now, though, the Brazilian international is firmly on their radars.