Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly willing to shell out €75 million to sign Leeds United talisman Raphinha, a target for Barcelona.
According to Spanish journalist Alfredo Martinez, Leeds United might have further bids to consider before parting ways with Raphinha in the summer transfer window. Chelsea and Tottenham are ready to cough up €75 million to secure the services of the Brazilian international, a target for Barcelona.
Raphinha has the world at his feet following two brilliant seasons with Leeds United. The 25-year-old has been the Whites’ talisman since arriving from Stade Rennais in October 2020 and played a leading role in helping his team avoid the ignominy of relegation in the 2021/22 season.
But after doing his bit to ensure Leeds’s top-flight status, Raphinha wants to depart from Elland Road to take the next step in his career. And the Brazilian international has his heart set on joining Barcelona, his dream club, although Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur are hoping to turn his head by producing attractive offers.
Chelsea recently reached an agreement with Leeds over a summer move for Raphinha, and all the signs pointed towards the Blues securing the services of the player as Barcelona scrambled to activate their first economic lever. At the same time, Barcelona asked for patience from Raphinha, who stalled on committing himself to Chelsea until the Blaugrana managed to be in a position to sign him.
Barcelona eventually mustered up the package to convince Leeds to sell the Brazilian international to them with an eleventh-hour hijack of Chelsea’s move. But the west Londoners are not admitting defeat in the race to sign Raphinha, with local rival Tottenham Hotspur also in the equation.
The two Londoners are ready to pay €75 million to secure the services of the 25-year-old, possibly putting Leeds United in a pickle, as Barcelona will shell out a transfer fee considerably lower than that sum. But the interest from Tottenham is shocking, considering they signed Richarlison from Everton last week.
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It is impossible to see how Tottenham can fit Richarlison, Raphinha, Son Heung-min, Harry Kane and Dejan Kulusevski in the same team. Nonetheless, Spurs are willing to pay €75 million, as per Alfredo Martinez, although Barcelona will still be in pole position to beat the north Londoners and Chelsea to his signature, with the player keen on moving to Camp Nou.