Barcelona are allegedly close to agreeing terms with Leeds winger Raphinha ahead of a summer transfer to Camp Nou.
There is rivalry from Liverpool, Manchester City, and Bayern Munich for his signing from the Catalan club, who have long been fans of the Brazilian.
A £29million approach from Barcelona has reportedly been rejected by Leeds, although contract negotiations seem to be going on behind the scenes.
Raphinha has signed a five-year contract at the Nou Camp, according to Sport, with his salary and incentives also agreed upon.
Raphinha's representative, Deco, is still negotiating with the Elland Road hierarchy, and Barcelona hopes that this will compel Leeds to accept a transfer bid.
He has apparently promised to sign for Barcelona even though other teams may offer him a better income, and since he is enthused by Xavi's proposal, the 25-year-old has given his word.
In 27 Premier League games for Leeds this season, Raphinha has scored nine goals, making his professional debut for Brazil in October.
The Whites have the option to extend his contract until 2024, but it was always expected that they would have competition to retain him.
Sport reports that Barcelona are close to signing Cesar Azpilicueta, Andreas Christensen, Franck Kessie, and Noussair Mazraoui from Chelsea, AC Milan, and Ajax. This quartet's contracts expire at the end of the season.
Xavi's transformation at the Nou Camp continues with the additions of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Ferran Torres in January, and this is a statement of determination.
