Liverpool defensive midfielder Fabinho has told Globo Esporte that Raphinha is Leeds United’s best player.
Fabinho plays with Raphinha for the Brazil national football team.
The Liverpool star has spoken highly of the 24-year-old winger and has outlined his attributes.
The former AS Monaco defensive midfielder has claimed that Liverpool wanted to sign the winger in the summer of 2021.
What Fabinho has said about Raphinha
Fabinho told Globo Esporte about Raphinha, as translated by The Liverpool Echo: “Raphinha, since arriving in the Premier League, has had a very good performance and stands out in Leeds.
“In this market, there was a discussion about him going to Liverpool, but in the end he stayed at Leeds. He’s the best player in the team, we know he’s the one who can cause the most danger.
“He started very well in both games for the national team, participated in the three goals against Venezuela, did very well against Colombia.
“He is a left-footed player who goes up, comes in, as well as on the outside, this is very important for our team. He’s a guy with a lot of personality and he’s already shown that he can help us a lot.”
The Liverpool star added: “Since he arrived in the Premier League he has had very good performances and highlights. For Liverpool, I was hoping that would happen. But in the end, he stayed with Leeds.
“He’s Leeds‘ best player today. Whenever we play against them, we know he’s the player who can cause the most danger.”
What praise!
Raphinha is one of the best players in the Premier League, and Fabinho’s comments on the Leeds winger show just how highly he is rated by his rivals.
It is not every day that a Liverpool star publicly names a rival player as someone he would like to play with.
The winger has scored three goals in seven Premier League matches for Leeds so far this season.
The Brazil international scored six goals and gave nine assists in 26 league starts for the Whites last season.
Now, Leeds could well have to sell Raphinha next summer.
The winger’s agent has already spoken of his ambition, and a big bid from Liverpool could be hard to turn down.
However, we should enjoy Raphinha’s rise now and have to praise Leeds Director of Football Victor Orta for finding this Brazilian gem.
And let’s not forget that Leeds paid just £17 million to Rennes for Raphinha in the summer of 2020.
If Leeds do sell the winger next summer, then we think that they could make as much as thrice that sum.
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