Sempre Barca
·15 octobre 2025
‘I thought about leaving‘ — €90m Barcelona star reflects on summer 2024 Saudi offer

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Yahoo sportsSempre Barca
·15 octobre 2025
Raphinha was arguably the most decisive player for FC Barcelona last season as the Blaugrana lifted all major domestic trophies and came within touching distance of the UEFA Champions League final. The Brazilian winger enjoyed an extraordinary campaign, scoring 34 goals and providing 26 assists in 57 appearances across all competitions.
Yet, his story at Barcelona could have taken a very different turn. Speaking to ESPN Brasil, as reported by Mundo Deportivo, Raphinha revealed that he came close to leaving the club in the summer of 2024 after receiving a lucrative offer from Saudi Arabia. He admitted that only the intervention of head coach Hansi Flick persuaded him to stay.
“Obviously, I thought about leaving; I believed it could be the right moment to go, but then we spoke with the coach, first by phone and later at the start of preseason, and he managed to convince me to stay. And thankfully, he did,” said the €90 million-rated Brazilian. “The offer we received from Saudi Arabia made me doubt a lot.”
Raphinha went on to explain how tempting the move was from a personal standpoint. “It would have solved my personal life, the lives of my parents, my son, and many others. I’ve been in football since I was 15, I’ve gone through good and bad moments everywhere, and there came a point when I thought it was time to take care of myself and my family,” he reflected.
Despite the financial temptation, Raphinha ultimately chose to remain at Barcelona, a decision that proved to be the right one. Under Flick’s guidance, he became one of the team’s most influential figures and even earned a place among the club’s captains.
“I always had a clear conscience about what I could contribute. Perhaps they expected 30 goals per season, but that is not my profile,” he said.