Barcelona will not part ways with Raphinha in the ongoing transfer window amid interest from Manchester City over a summer deal.
According to a report by Spanish outlet SPORT, Raphinha is the subject of interest from Manchester City. But Barcelona will not cash in on the Brazilian international despite the never-ending financial rut they find themselves in. So the Citizens have to set their sights elsewhere to bolster their squad.
Raphinha completed a dream move when he joined Barcelona from Leeds United last summer. The 26-year-old did not have much left to achieve at Elland Road when he decided to embark on a new adventure. And he snubbed several high-profile clubs to complete the transfer to Barcelona in a deal worth €58 million.
The Brazilian international faced a few issues midway through the season. But the player bounced back to end the campaign with a solid tally of ten goals and 12 assists in 50 appearances for Barcelona. However, amid Barcelona’s financial woes, Raphinha’s name has emerged as a possible candidate to help them balance the books. And he is reportedly a target for Manchester City.
Manchester City will soon part ways with Riyad Mahrez in the ongoing transfer window. The Algerian international has reached the end of the line in his stint with the treble winners. And he is on the cusp of becoming the latest well-known player to move to Saudi Arabia this summer.
Manchester City will thus need to delve into the market for a wide attacker in the ongoing transfer window. And Raphinha has emerged as a viable target for the Premier League champions. Meanwhile, they have the financial strength to pay over €58 million to Barcelona if the Catalan giants look to make a profit on their investment.
But the 26-year-old will unlikely leave Barcelona in the summer transfer window. He is firmly in Xavi Hernandez’s plans, and Barcelona will not cash in on him in the coming weeks. So Manchester City will need to look elsewhere to bolster the offensive unit this summer.
But the Citizens do not have a shortage of options, with several other players on their radar. And it will be interesting to see who bolsters the Manchester City attack after they fail to secure Raphinha’s services this summer.