West Ham United are again being linked with Barcelona’s Rafinha.
According to Mundo Deportivo, West Ham United have shown the strongest interest in signing Barcelona midfielder Rafinha this summer, with his Inter Milan situation still unclear.
Rafinha, 25, has come up through the ranks of Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy, but he has struggled to make himself a first-team regular at the Camp Nou.
The Brazilian playmaker has struggled with injuries over the course of his career, and has made just 48 league appearances for Barca, and played just once for them in all competitions last season.
Rafinha was subsequently sent out on loan to Inter Milan in January, and he starred with two goals and three assists in 17 games, but seemingly won’t be signing permanently following the signing of Radja Nainggolan.
That has left Rafinha in limbo, as Barca don’t want him and Inter aren’t signing him any time soon, and Mundo Deportivo report that he wants a move to a team in European competition where he can play regularly next term.
However, it’s stated that the club who have shown the strongest interest in Rafinha is actually West Ham, who won’t be able to offer him any European football next season.
That may not be hugely appealing to Rafinha, but if he is short of offers, joining up with Manuel Pellegrini may not be the worst idea in the world given the exciting summer the Hammers are having in the transfer market.
Rafinha would certainly play a starring role, even with the addition of Jack Wilshere, and a move to London should also be appealing – but West Ham will have to hope that they can tempt him without being able to give him European football next term.
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