Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea eyeing Barcelona star following issues with contract talks | OneFootball

There is an argument that Raphinha has been Barcelona’s most effective player this season, recently crossing the 50 goal contributions threshold. However despite his form, transfer talk around the 27-year-old continues.

Raphinha admitted that he was edging towards a departure last summer, but that manager Hansi Flick had been crucial in changing his mind to stay at the club. Since, he has taken on a leadership role for the Blaugrana, becoming one of their best and most consistent performers, after two middling seasons.

Now Barcelona are trying to tie him to a new deal. With two years left on his contract, the Blaugrana have opened talks with Raphinha, who seemingly wants to stay at the club. That on the face of it is what Barcelona want, but they have set a price tag of €80-90m for him, and recently it was leaked that he is not happy with their new contract offer.

Image via FC Barcelona

It should be noted that Raphinha has not appointed a new agent since Deco left him to become Barcelona’s Director of Football, but as per Caught Offside, several Premier League sides are keeping a close eye on his situation. They note that Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea, who are all in the market for a wide attacker this summer, are all interested in what might happen with the Brazilian superstar.

They join a queue that already includes Saudi Arabian giants Al-Hilal, who are keen to replace Neymar Junior with a marquee signing, and have already intimated that they would be willing to part with €300m to make the deal happen. So far Barcelona have rejected that approach.

It would be a major surprise if Barcelona did wave farewell to Raphinha this summer, after he was so close to leaving last year, and vindicated his signing this season. However there is also a current of thought that this could be the peak for Raphinha, and it would be the right time to sell him. Even so, with doubts about Barcelona’s salary limit situation, replacing him seems a complicated task.