Barcelona have put former Liverpool target Raphinha up for sale ahead of the January transfer window.
The Reds were reportedly very keen on signing Raphinha when he was leaving Leeds United back in summer 2022. However, the Brazilian was dead-set on joining Barcelona, which he eventually did.
Since then, Raphinha has had a mixed time in Spain. Although a regular starter, Football Transfers report that the 26-year-old has ‘failed to have the desired impact.’
As a result of this, they claim that Barca are now ‘keen on cashing in’ on the former Leeds man, as they look to raise funds.
The Spanish giants have reportedly been trying to sell Raphinha since as early as January 2023. But with an asking-price said to have been set at around £87m, there were no takers. Now, desperate to fill their empty coffers, it’s claimed that Barca will offer a reduction and accept £61m for the Brazil international.
At that price, there will reportedly be several suitors. Unfortunately at this stage, Liverpool are not named as one of them. Arsenal, Chelsea and Newcastle United would appear to be the front-runners. However, Raphinha is said to have no desire to leave the Camp Nou.
Barca put Raphinha up for sale
If this report is accurate, then you really have to feel for Raphinha. He turned down several interested Premier League sides to make fulfil his dream of joining Barcelona last year.
But just as they’ve done a number of times recently, Barca have acted rather callously in response.
It isn’t as though Raphinha has been poor for them, either. He hasn’t hit the numbers of someone like Robert Lewandowski who arrived at the same time, but he bagged ten times last season and has three this campaign.
Perhaps not quite what Barcelona expected, but he’s still a very, very handy player.
Still, if they really do want to shift the former Leeds man, then they may have to lower their price-tag yet again. Although his output hasn’t been terrible, it isn’t that of a £61m player.
Coming up to his 27th birthday, Raphinha isn’t a youngster anymore. If he does end up leaving, he’ll be expected to be a key player wherever he goes.
For now, there’s no indication that that could be to Liverpool. But having been seen as a potential Mohamed Salah successor 18 months ago, we still believe that he could be.
If Salah does decide he wants to leave Liverpool next summer, the Reds could do a lot worse than Raphinha. Nothing imminent by any means, but we should keep an eye on developments in this one.
Receive a digest of our best Liverpool content each week direct to your mailbox
