Barcelona president provides clarity over Raphinha’s future | OneFootball

There has been a lot of speculation surrounding the futures of several FC Barcelona players lately. While the most recent rumours have been associated with the future of Ferran Torres, there have been others that have focused on a player who is perhaps much more integral to this team.

Both a team captain and a star player, Raphinha has been pivotal to the success that Barcelona have found under the guidance of Hansi Flick. However, considering the recent acquisitions that the club has made, rumours began to emerge suggesting that Raphinha could be on his way out this summer given the arrival of other forwards as well.

However, while speaking to reporters recently during his visit to the United States for the FIFA World Cup, Joan Laporta clarified the situation. As quoted by Mundo Deportivo, the Barcelona president made it clear that the Brazilian forward would not be leaving the club:

“Raphinha is staying. We have absolutely no interest in him leaving Barcelona. He’s a key player for us. Signing Gordon and Adeyemi strengthens our attack, but that doesn’t mean we’re going to let Raphinha go. He’s essential to this team.”

However, Laporta also did not shy away from being honest about the latter stages of the recent season in which Raphinha’s campaign was plagued with injuries and inconsistent opportunities:

“It’s unfortunate that he couldn’t perform at his best during the closing stages of last season in La Liga, the Champions League and the Copa del Rey. I believe our results would have been different.”

However, with Raphinha’s future now having more clarity surrounding it, this is good news for both the club and the player. While he can focus on delivering his best next season, the club can now move accordingly in the market and understand what kind of recruitment they need to focus on.