Raphinha reportedly wants to stay at Barcelona and fight for his place after he was again linked with a move to Arsenal this month.
According to Mundo Deportivo, Raphinha has ruled out an exit from Barcelona amid links to Arsenal. The Brazilian winger wants to stay at the club and improve here. The decision will quash rumours the Catalans were considering a sale in light of their financial troubles.
A lot is happening in the transfer window, with about two weeks left. Arsenal have been at the forefront of a saga involving Mykhaylo Mudryk since December, but it disappointed Mikel Arteta’s side. The Gunners wanted the Ukrainian winger on priority. They were reportedly close to agreeing on a deal with Shakhtar Donetsk until Chelsea got in the mix.
Chelsea swiftly agreed on a deal with Shakhtar and have since officially unveiled Mudryk to the Stamford Bridge crowd. The winger’s decision was a big blow for Arsenal and Arteta, who are now searching for an alternative to the Ukrainian winger.
Arteta wants at least one wide attacker to cover both wings. There’s a considerable burden on the young shoulders of Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli. More importantly, Arsenal requires a quality addition to aid their push for the Premier League title, as they now lead the table by eight points.
Raphinha was again mentioned as a target. Reports of Arsenal contacting Barcelona for the winger emerged recently, and many have since picked on the story. The winger only signed for the Catalans in the summer after a protracted saga involving both the Gunners and Chelsea.
Back then, Raphinha insisted it was his dream to play for the Catalans, although the Barcelona star is yet to shine at Camp Nou. He has not been starting games since the World Cup break, but Xavi Hernandez has shown patience with him and several others.
The Catalan manager already hinted he would like his current group to stay intact, barring one or two departures. Earlier, there were stories about Barcelona considering selling Raphinha to ease their financial burden. The winger has reportedly ruled out an exit now.
Mundo Deportivo insists they have communicated with Raphinha’s agent that the winger would remain at Camp Nou. They reckon Raphinha would like to fight for his place and realise his dream of winning things with Barcelona.
The decision will come as a blow for Arsenal, who were hoping they sign the Brazilian as an alternative to Mudryk. Yet, there could be more twists between now and the end of the month. The remaining days will give a better picture of where the Gunners are moving and if Raphinha is completely ruled out.
