Arsenal plan for €58m ‘incredible’ Barcelona star who ‘can play everywhere’ in tatters – ‘Non-transferable’ | OneFootball

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta and sporting director Andrea Berta will have to move on from Raphinha, with the Catalan media strongly claiming that the winger will not leave Barcelona, as the Brazilian star’s comments on his future also come to light.

Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard are the two main options at left-wing for Arsenal, although Eberechi Eze is also able to play in that role despite being an attacking midfielder by trade.

Although Martinelli has scored five goals and given one assist in the Champions League, the Brazil international is not guaranteed a place in the starting line-up for Premier League games, with the 24-year-old winger not progressing as much as he would have liked to.

Trossard has played a valuable role for Arsenal this season, scoring four goals and giving three assists in eight Premier League starts, but the Belgian is 31 now.

Like all major clubs, Arsenal are always looking for ways to improve, with Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo now on the Gunners’ radar to make their left-wing position better.

Arsenal have their eyes on Barcelona winger Raphinha, too, with transfer journalist Graeme Bailey reporting in October that the Gunners will ‘sign a new left winger’ in 2026, adding that Raphinha will be talked about again.

However, Barcelona are in no mood to sell Raphinga, with Sport reporting that the former Leeds United winger is ‘non-transferable’.

The Barcelona-centric Catalan publication has reported that the €58millon (£51m, $68m) is ‘one of the sacred cows of Hansi Flick’s project and will definitely remain at Barça after the 2026 World Cup’.

According to Sport, Raphinha has revived himself under Barcelona manager Hansi Flick, who is ‘a mentor and a footballing ally’.

The winger is ‘happy at the club and in the city, where his family is fully settled’,

Barcelona and Raphinha stance on future

Sport further noted: ‘Regardless of how the season, which hasn’t even completed its first half, ends, it’s certain that Raphinha, after his second World Cup playing for Barca, will remain in Barcelona next season.

‘He feels valued and loved. There’s no tempting offer that will change his mind, much to the delight of Hansi Flick, Deco, and Joan Laporta.’

Raphinha has had injury problems this season, but four goals and three assists in nine LaLiga and Champions League starts underline his importance to the Barcelona team when he has played.

Atletico Madrid head coach Diego Simeone raved about Raphinha after the 28-year-old scored in Barcelona’s 3-1 win against his side at Spotify Camp Nou in LaLiga on December 2.

Simeone told AS: “Raphinha is an incredible player. He can play everywhere. As a winger, as a midfielder, as a striker, or even as a wing-back.

“He can score, can create, he presses and runs. I don’t know how he didn’t win the Ballon d’Or. For me, I would choose him always”.

The former Leeds star himself recently dismissed suggestions that he could be off to the Saudi Pro League.

Earlier this month, Raphinha wrote on Instagram about the Saudi Arabia rumours: “I don’t know where they get so much real nonsense. Well this one that always comes out (with) fake news, very good.”

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Meanwhile, an Arsenal star’s performance against Club Brugge in the Champions League on Wednesday will come as a further blow for Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso, who wanted to sign him in the summer of 2025.