Leeds United are ‘knocking on the door’ to take Rafinha Alcantara away from Barcelona, according to Sport.
Rafinha – whose older brother, the Bayern Munich midfielder, Thiago, is a close friend of the new Leeds recruit, Rodrigo – is in the final year of his contract at Barca.
The 27-year-old spent last season on loan to Celta Vigo, where he scored four goals and assisted two in 33 games.
And it is claimed that Barcelona want €16 million (around £14.3m) to move him on permanently – a figure they are firm on.
Negotiations with Leeds are said to be at an early stage, although Sport. adds that Leeds hope Barca will lower their initial demands.
The newspaper reports that while other clubs, including Celta, have shown an interest, Rafinha is ‘aware that he has to leave’ Camp Nou and ‘is more than determined to try his luck in the Premier League’.
That is, incidentally, where Thiago could end up, with Liverpool strongly linked.
It is claimed that talks will now continue between Barcelona and Leeds regarding Rafinha – who, despite his brother’s allegiance to Spain, has been capped twice by the Brazilian national team – but ‘there is still a lot of fabric to cut’, apparently.
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