- Newcastle interested in Brazilian
- Launch £71m transfer bid
- Catalan club mulling over sale
WHAT HAPPENED? The Magpies were keen to add the Brazilian winger last summer but the player opted to move to Camp Nou from Leeds United in order to realise his dream of playing for Barcelona. According to Jijantes, Newcastle are once again attempting to lure Raphinha to St. James Park and would be willing to pay £71m (€80m) as a transfer fee for his services.
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THE BIGGER PICTURE: Barcelona's financial struggles have forced them into considering the sale of the player, as they are looking to cut down on their salary budget by €200m (£176m/$220m) and bring in another €100m (£76m/$120m) in transfer fees to comply with the Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations of La Liga. Moreover, they are keeping no stone unturned in bringing back Lionel Messi from Paris Saint-Germain, which requires a viable financial plan involving sufficient funds.
AND WHAT'S MORE: An injury to Ousmane Dembele has forced Xavi to count heavily on Raphinha this term, despite his erratic form which has seen him score just 10 goals in 45 matches. Further, he has openly vented his frustrations on a number of occasions, namely when substituted for his under-par performances, which has seemingly not gone down well with the Barcelona hierarchy. Hence, the club remains open to selling him with plenty of interest pouring in from England, especially due to his prior experience in the Premier League.
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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT? Raphinha was taken off in the 52nd minute after a lacklustre performance against Osasuna on Tuesday and was replaced by Dembele, which indicates that the Frenchman remains the preferred choice at right wing for Xavi. However, he will hope to make the most of the five remaining La Liga matches to present a strong case in front of the Barcelona manager and board that he should stay beyond the current campaign.