With Leeds United surging away from the relegation zone over the past fortnight, there has been more of a spotlight on the summer transfer plans at Elland Road as the Whites’ Premier League status begins to look more secure.
There have been reports about the future of Kalvin Phillips and a potential move for Brenden Aaronson again, but the biggest headline grabber in west Yorkshire has been Raphinha.
The Brazilian has been linked with Barcelona, Chelsea and Liverpool in recent weeks, and this week, there have been reports that Barca have bid €35m (£29m) for the winger.
Meanwhile, Gialuigi Longari has claimed that the Brazilian has two release clauses in his contract and one of those will come into effect if the Whites are relegated.
However, the local Leeds paper, the Yorkshire Evening Post, have claimed that no bid has been made, there is no release clause and the winger will cost a lot more than £29m.
The Yorkshire Evening Post are often the most reliable source of news when it comes to Leeds, but then, reputable Spanish outlet AS have reported that the winger has an €80m (£67m) release clause, muddying the waters even further.
Each outlet will have received information that they believe is reliable. Over in Spain, the links to Barcelona and Raphinha’s agent, Deco, are obvious, while the Yorkshire Evening Post will have received information on good authority from people linked to Leeds United.
It’s not surprising to see the Spanish and English press pulling Raphinha in different directions, but these conflicting reports make it very difficult to understand the reality of Raphinha’s situation.
One thing is for sure, Barcelona are keen on this player, but it seems as though a deal could be very complicated.
It looks like we may have to just wait and see what happens with the Brazilian this summer.
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