Saudi Arabia willing to quadruple salary for Barcelona star this summer | OneFootball

The links between Saudi Arabia and Barcelona star Raphinha never quite seem to go away. The Brazilian forward has been clear that he intends to remain at Camp Nou since the arrival of Hansi Flick, yet he continues to be linked with a move to the Middle East.

The interest from Saudi Arabia appears to be a fixture of the summer, and there is an argument that part of the interest in a deal comes from the Catalan side of things too. While Hansi Flick has always spoken about his importance to the team, the Blaugrana have never fully closed the door on a move. Raphinha again denied that he was looking to move recently, but it seems they intend to test his resolve again this summer.

Saudi Arabia willing to offer €80m deal for Raphinha

Beyond the high fee that Barcelona would receive, MD say that Saudi giants Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr are looking to persuade him to make the move, and would offer as much as four times what he is earning at Barcelona in order to do so. For their part, Barcelona would be in line to receive a €80m bid for the Brazilian. The 29-year-old signed a one-year contract extension last summer, meaning his current deal ends in 2028, thus it is perhaps no surprise that Barcelona are open to the possibility of cashing in on him.

Are Barcelona preparing for life without Raphinha?

The signing of Anthony Gordon, in a deal that could rise to as much as €80m, would appear to suggest that Barcelona are preparing for life without Raphinha in the short to medium-term. Gordon primarily operates off the left side, and shares many of Raphinha’s best attributes, in terms of attacking space and pressing intensely. While he can play through the middle, it would appear they have a readymade Raphinha replacement should they need one.