The Barcelona and Brazil midfielder was linked to Tottenham earlier this year but his ACL injury may end up depriving Spurs of up to three targets.
Barcelona confirmed on Tuesday that midfielder Rafinha will be ruled out for around six months after undergoing knee surgery.
The 25-year-old suffered a cruciate ligament injury during the 1-1 draw at Atletico Madrid in November, his third serious setback.
Rafinha has largely been a fringe player for Barca since coming through the ranks, making just 87 appearances since 2013 and twice going out on loan (Transfermarkt).
Both the player (Mundo Deportivo) and his agent father (Radio Galicia Sport) have spoken of the possibility of leaving Camp Nou due to a desire for first-team football.
Mundo Deportivo reported this summer that Tottenham Hotspur were eyeing up Rafinha, thanks partly to manager Mauricio Pochettino’s relationship with Barcelona director Ramon Planes from their time together at Espanyol.
However, the Brazilian’s injury has not only stopped Spurs from potentially getting their hands on a top midfielder this January, but could also have dealt a knock-on effect with regards to other targets linked to the Lilywhites.
The Mirror previously reported that Tottenham and Barcelona were interested in Ajax youngster Frenkie de Jong, but with Rafinha sidelined for the rest of the season, could the Blaugrana feel that a top midfielder in the Dutchman’s mould is now a priority?
In addition, Paris Saint-Germain’s Adrien Rabiot has been linked with both Spurs and Barca in recent months, according to a Le Parisien report from November – and once again, Rafinha’s injury could force the Blaugrana’s hand in January.
It is also worth mentioning that Barca have registered 20-year-old academy midfielder Carles Alena to make up for Rafinha’s absence, but whether the La Masia graduate will be thrown in at the deep end remains to be seen.
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