Arsene Wenger and Barcelona are both interested in signing Raphinha from Leeds United, according to Fabrizio Romano of the Here We Go Podcast.
Raphinha's departure from Elland Road is becoming more and more probable. He has had a fantastic year at Leeds. The 'unbelievable' Brazilian has been courted by both Barcelona and the Catalan giants.
The winger reportedly already has a five-year contract in place, according to reports. A new proposal of up to £42.2 million has been made for the Leeds star in the meantime.
Raphinha's move to Barcelona may not be a bad thing for certain Whites supporters. It would be a major setback if he were traded to another Premier League team.
It doesn't mean, though, that top-flight competition isn't going to give it a shot. According to Romano, despite rumors tying the Gunners to Raphinha's agent, Cody Gakpo, the Gunners have entered the competition.
"I can tell you that Arsenal is also interested in learning more about Raphinha from Leeds. " In an interview with The Here We Go Podcast, he said, "We mentioned him for Barcelona."
The race for Raphinha is currently being led by Barcelona. However, Arsenal is also interested in Raphinha's knowledge, despite not being in the lead in the race. A player with such qualities is what they're after.
Gakpo is a player they follow, while Raphinha is a player they admire. However, the race is tricky since Barcelona are in the lead."
Raphinha is a target for Arsenal supporters this summer.
As a team, Arsenal's strikers are backed by a lethal set of players. In preparation for a possible return to the Champions League, it is understandable that they would want to add to their roster.
This season, Raphinha has not always played to his potential. And yet, he's risen to the occasion well, scoring nine goals in the process. This season, no Arsenal player has scored more goals in the Premier League than Alexis Sanchez.
Bringing Raphinha to the Emirates Stadium would be a major statement of intent for Arsenal. While Barcelona remain in contention, they clearly have a lot of work to do. However, given that they've started an inquiry, they must believe that they have a reasonable possibility of success.
