Arsenal considering January move for Barcelona captain | OneFootball

The Brazilian forward Raphinha has remained one of the most important players for FC Barcelona ever since the arrival of Hansi Flick on the Blaugrana bench. The star attacker is taking on new responsibilities this season, as he was recently named by the German coach as the first captain of the team, and he is also playing in a new position, as a center-forward, after the departures of Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres.

By the looks of it, these new responsibilities have only brought out the best in him. This is clear from the form he has shown in this early stage of the season, having already scored five goals in three games so far, and having been on target in all the games Barcelona have played.

However, his future at the Catalan club came under some doubt during the last summer transfer window, as he was strongly linked with a move away from the Blaugrana club, with Saudi Arabia looking to be a very likely destination for him. Ultimately, he ended up staying at Barcelona.

But, even with the transfer market now closed, his future remains subject to some speculation. This is clear from a report from CaughtOffside, which reports that the Premier League champions, Arsenal, are considering a January bid for the Brazilian forward.

The Gunners were looking to land a high-profile forward during the last transfer window, and also competed with Barcelona for the signing of the Atletico Madrid forward Julian Alvarez, who ultimately stayed at the Colchonero club. Furthermore, they were also closely linked with the Real Madrid winger Vinicius Junior, before he also eventually renewed his contract with the Merengues.

Now, they might be looking to try their hand with Raphinha, but this operation is going to be even more difficult. Being a key part of their team, Barcelona are unlikely to part ways with him, especially in the middle of the season. For now, it remains to be seen how this story develops and whether Arsenal will actually make a move for him.