Hansi Flick wants Barcelona to avoid selling star forward this summer amid interest from Saudi Arabia | OneFootball

Because of their ongoing financial problems, Barcelona need to generate significant income in the coming weeks if they are to return to La Liga’s 1:1 rule, which would allow them to sign players without financial restrictions. One way to raise the money needed is through sales, and one option to go is Raphinha, who has been linked with clubs in Saudi Arabia and England in recent weeks.

New manager Hansi Flick will run the rule over his Barcelona squad when he begins his duties next week, although according to Florian Plettenberg, he has already decided that he wants Raphinha to stay, as he considers him to have the potential to be a key player for the Catalans next season.

However, it’s not set in stone yet that Raphinha will stay, as the final decision will be made in the coming weeks by Flick and Deco, Barcelona’s sporting director.

It’s easy to see why Flick wants Raphinha to stay, as he was one of Barcelona’s best performers last season, tallying up six goals and nine assists in just 17 La Liga starts (28 total appearances). He’s proven himself to be a matchwinner, and unless an extremely lucrative offer arrives, it would make no sense to let him go – especially as his continuity allows Lamine Yamal’s minutes to be managed better.