The agent of £50 million-rated Brazilian forward Raphinha was in London today, according to journalist Freddie Paxton, suggesting a move to Arsenal could be close.
This news comes as the Leeds United player is reportedly edging closer to a move away from Elland Road. With Arsenal being one of the closest links, the belief is that Deco (Raphinha’s agent) was in the capital to discuss a move to North London.
Agent in London: Raphinha to Arsenal Hots Up
Raphinha situation. 🚨🇧🇷 #LUFC
▫️ Barcelona agreed personal terms with Raphinha, but no agreement on fee with Leeds.
▫️ Arsenal are in direct negotiations with Leeds, interested since March.
▫️ Both Chelsea & Tottenham have been in contact too.
▫️ Fee could be around 65/75m. pic.twitter.com/39igUIOTqV
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 20, 2022
Where Will Raphinha End Up?
Raphinha has impressed during his two seasons in the Premier League, and he’s one of the most exciting forward players in the market at the moment.
There has been a lot of interest in his signature this summer, and the pricetag Leeds command will be significantly higher now than it would have been if they were relegated to the Championship.
The most concrete links have been with Arsenal and Barcelona, with contrasting reports on the player’s preference and the clubs’ willingness to meet Leeds’ £50 million valuation.
Further interest has been shown by Tottenham Hotspur most notably but some believe this may be more about encouraging a bidding war to drive up the fee that the 25-year-old brings to Elland Road.
Another possible explanation for this saga moving slowly is the reports that Raphinha is waiting for Barcelona to make a move for him. If that is the case, this one may drag on a little longer as Barcelona will likely need to raise some funds before making a big-money move.
Do Arsenal Have a Chance of Signing Raphinha?
The Gunners are definitely in the running if reports are to be believed. Monday 20 June, saw the rumours really hot up but sources close to the club are yet to make confirm any serious movement.
Fans should be happy to hear Raphinha’s representatives are in London because that could suggest a move is in the works and potentially close to completion. Reports also suggest that Arsenal are keeping their focus on signing Raphinha and Gabriel Jesus as Youri Tielemens is seen as a less-competitive transfer.
