Arsenal has emerged as a potential destination for Barcelona play-maker Rafinha Alcantara this summer, according to Mundo Deportivo.
The La Liga leaders may be perfectly placed to secure yet another top-flight title this season. But to say things aren’t going quite as smoothly off the pitch would be an understatement.
It is no secret that Barca are absolutely desperate to make Inter Milan star Lautaro Martinez their new Luis Suarez but, as you might expect, one of the most exciting forwards in world football will not come cheap.
According to Goal, the Catalan kings have just £25 million saved up for the summer. And what would that get you? Lautaro’s left leg at the most, perhaps.
As a result, Barcelona have little choice but to place pretty much every member of Quique Setien’s squad on the transfer market (except Lionel Messi, Marc-Andre Ter Stegen and Frenkie de Jong of course).
Rafinha is one of many bench-warmers and fringe players who will be sacrificed. However, the 27-year-old Brazil international will not be short of offers despite a worrying injury record headlines by two separate cruciate ligament ruptures.
MD claims that Arsenal are interested in a player who looks absolutely tailor-made for Mikel Arteta’s side, thanks to a heady mix of technique and tenacity which once had Luis Enrique tipping him to become ‘very important in the future of Barca.”
Rafinha is currently on loan at Celta Vigo and, according to MD, the La Liga strugglers can sign him permanently thanks to a £14 million purchase clause. It feels unlikely that Celta will snap up the La Masia graduate on a full-time basis, however, with clubs all over Spain hit hard by the financial crisis.
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