Raphinha: Leeds United linked with sensational deal to re-sign star from Barcelona as pundit offers thoughts

Barcelona winger Raphinha is being linked with a eye-catching return to former side Leeds after failing to recapture his top since moving to the Nou Camp.

The Brazilian star was the subject of a fierce transfer battle last summer once Leeds made clear they were willing to sell their talismanic star. And with Arsenal seeing an approach fail, it was Chelsea who came near to snatching his signing after striking a near £62m deal with Leeds.

However, Raphinha only had eyes for Barcelona and rebuffed the approach from the Londoners.

The deal will ultimately earn Leeds a fee of around £55m if add-ons are met and chairman Andrea Radrizzani was keen to ensure a safety net was put in place to ensure the cash-strapped Spaniards do pay up.

But Raphinha has struggled to find his best form since moving to LaLiga. Indeed, in 13 appearances so far, Raphinha has managed just two goals and four assists from 19 games. While that doesn’t seem too bad for a player adapting to a new club and country, patience in Spain  -and at Barcelona in particular – is seemingly thin on the ground.

Indeed, with Ousmane Dembele coming back into form, Raphinha has often been forced to operate on the left of attack. And with his performances not living up to expectations, Sport recently suggested Raphinha could be put up for sale in January.

As a result, both Arsenal and Chelsea are reportedly being linked with fresh moves to sign the player.

More incredibly, Leeds United are also reportedly been touted as a potential destination for the Brazilian. He still holds the Whites close to his heart and regularly interacts with his former teammates on social media.

Leeds chances of re-signing Raphinha rated

Any deal for their former star would, though, surely be beyond their means. Leeds used their Raphinha windfall to fund the summer signings of Brenden Aaronson and Luis Sinisterra among others.

And with their record outlay still the £27m spent on Rodrigo in summer 2020, it appears unlikely Leeds could fund such a deal.

Assessing their chances of bringing Raphinha back to Elland Road, pundit Alan Hutton has also cast doubts on the validity of those claims.

“I can’t see it,” he told Football Insider. “There is no doubt there will be other admirers out there that will want his signature.

“He gives you that spark, that something different. He can make something happen out of nothing.

“Would he return to Leeds? I am not so sure to be quite honest.”

Hutton believes Raphinha would only consider leaving Barcelona were a team able to offer him Champions League football. As such, that would, very definitely, rule Leeds out of any potential move.

“If there was a Champions League level team that were looking at that sort of player then of course he would come back.

“He wants to be competing at the highest level so why would he not be in the Premier League.”

Raphinha scored 17 times and added 12 assists during his two-year stay at Elland Road, proving a huge crowd favourite.

READ MORE: 48-goal attacker well aware of Whites interest as Everton look to muscle in on deal