Arsenal have contacted Barcelona and Raphinha to explore the idea of signing the Brazilian after losing out on Mykhaylo Mudryk.
According to Sport Italia, Arsenal have rekindled their interest in Raphinha. The Gunners have initiated contacts to explore the idea of signing the Barcelona attacker, switching their attention toward the Brazilian after losing out on Mykhaylo Mudryk.
It has been a terrible 24 hours for Arsenal fans after some dramatic late twists in the transfer window. After wondering when their club would agree on a deal for Mykhaylo Mudryk, they have lost the race for the Ukrainian winger.
Chelsea entered the frame after bowing out of the race a few days ago and swiftly agreed to a deal with Shakhtar Donetsk for the winger. The Blues will pay around €100 million, including add-ons. In addition, they have reportedly doubled Mudryk’s wages from what Arsenal had offered earlier.
The Gunners reportedly bid around €95 million, including add-ons, but that wasn’t sufficient for Shakhtar. The Ukrainian club kept their stance over the €100 million valuation. Chelsea snapping up Mudryk has shocked Arsenal, but they also need a new winger target.
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A few get a mention in the media circles, with Raphinha’s name re-emerging. In a similar story to the Mudryk saga, Chelsea tried to hijack the Brazilian in the summer. But he remained fixated on joining Barcelona at all costs. The Gunners knew of this and exited the chase then.
The Mudryk saga ended badly for them. And Mikel Arteta is desperately seeking a quality addition to his squad, thus rekindling the interest in Raphinha. Arsenal have reportedly contacted the Catalan club to sign the Barcelona attacker if possible.
Barcelona remain in financial troubles and still need to generate funds to balance their books. They have been considering selling Raphinha, but there have yet to be any concrete reports about it so far. He only joined the Blaugrana for a fee of nearly €60 million six months ago.
If they do decide to sell, Barcelona may look to make a profit from the deal. Arsenal have already shown their unwillingness to pay beyond the player’s deemed valuations, which may create a new saga. But, then, the player’s interest also matters, as Raphinha will have the final say on whether he prefers a return to England.
Raphinha would be a fantastic addition to the Arsenal squad if they can convince the player and club. The Barcelona attacker can play on either wing and compete with Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka for a starting berth.
