Topics: Raphinha, Barcelona, Transfer News, Saudi Pro League, Football, Champions League
Brazilian international and Barcelona star Raphinha has been the subject of a £86 million bid ahead of the summer transfer window.
The attacker has been in sensational form for the Catalan club this campaign, with his 15 goals in 28 La Liga starts helping Barcelona to a seven-point lead at the top of the table.
Despite his prolific domestic form, Raphinha's best performances this season have come in the Champions League, netting 12 times in 12 appearances en route to the semi-finals.
Raphinha's performances have highlighted him as a contender to win the 2025 Ballon d'Or, but his form has also led to significant transfer interest, with Barcelona already receiving a bid for his services.
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According to Sport, Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal have made an approach to sign Raphinha, with a huge bid of €100 million (£86m).
The Saudi side have proposed a four-year contract worth a staggering £150 million in an attempt to persuade the Brazilian who has previously rejected the move.
The report states that Al-Hilal remains optimistic about convincing Raphinha to join the club despite what happened last summer.
Speaking earlier in the year to Globo Esporte, Raphinha revealed he did consider taking the offer from Saudi but the arrival of Hansi Flick and using a psychologist convinced him to stay.
“After the Copa América, my situation was complicated. Every day there were rumors about me leaving. I started thinking about it myself because I wasn’t feeling well,” Raphinha said.
“I spoke with my wife and told her, ‘If Flick is fair, he will see my quality.’ And I think it worked.
“If your mind isn’t right, your body doesn’t respond. Working with a psychologist has helped me a lot,” he explained.
Raphinha has shown little interest in stepping away from Barcelona, and if the club goes on to become Champions League winners it's hard to imagine a world where the 28-year-old quits the Nou Camp.
