Arsenal £35m transfer priority emerges in shape of ex-Leeds United star also wanted by Chelsea
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A new transfer priority has emerged in recent days for Arsenal as they gear up for what is set to be an exceptionally busy summer window.
While the majority of the Gunners attentions appears to have been centred around acquiring a striker, with Benjamin Sesko, Joshua Zirkzee and Viktor Gyokeres the apparent primary targets, the Emirates club are now looking into the former Leeds United winger Raphinha.
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Hide AdThere had been plenty of reports in the lead-up to the transfer window that the Barcelona star would be on the way out and this has now been confirmed with the arrival of new Camp Nou boss Hansi Flick. Flick was recently confirmed as Xavi’s replacement and is keen to make an immediate imprint on the squad.
Barcelona’s financial state in is dire need of restoration it appears set that the Brazilian winger could be the first departure as Flick looks to acquire a quick burst of cash to bring in new faces. 27-year-old Raphinha was bought for £50 million from Leeds in 2022 and while the club are aware they are not likely to get anywhere near that in a re-sale, the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool have all reportedly had a watchful eye on the situation.
A report, via Football365, now claims that it’s Arsenal and Chelsea who retain a strong interest in the winger, whose ‘sale would open doors to new faces’ arriving this summer. It’s said that Raphinha ‘would find a family and competitive environment’ at Arsenal, who are ‘an attractive option’ due to their standing in the Premier League and the fact that he would be joining several compatriots, including Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Magalhaes.
The Gunners are said to have ‘offered €40m’ (£34m) but Barcelona are holding out for a fee closer to €60m (£51m).
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Hide AdChelsea are, however, also keeping themselves in the mix but present a ‘more risky option’. The new head coach Enzo Maresca has apparently ‘specifically requested the incorporation of the Brazilian winger’ who he views as ‘a cornerstone on which to rebuild a new project and a key piece to revitalise the offensive plot of the club’.
It’s also said the Cristiano Ronaldo’s club Al-Nassr are the third team to have put an ‘offer on the table’ but there remain doubts as to how the 27-year-old ex-Leeds star would react to a ‘less competitive league’.
Since departing for Camp Nou, Raphinha has struggled with consistency but was named player of the match in the club’s Champions League first-leg quarter-final win over PSG in April 2024, scoring a brace in the process.
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