Kiko Casilla has given his taken on Raphinha joining Barcelona from Leeds in an interview with RAC1 – as per Mundo Deportivo. He says that the Brazilian has the ability to become a very important player for Barcelona.
Raphinha, 25, has been desperate to join the Nou Camp side this summer. That is, despite Tottenham, Arsenal and Chelsea all willing to offer bigger wages to Raphinha – and a fee of £63million.
In the end, Raphinha is about to complete a move to Barcelona worth £50million plus £5million in add-ons. He will sign a contract until 2027, as both clubs confirmed an agreement had been found for Raphinha.
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Asked about his imminent move to Barcelona, Leeds outcast Casilla – formerly of Barcelona’s rivals Real Madrid – gave his take. He spoke about Raphinha’s quality and work rate in training, and how he will be at Barcelona.
“I am of the mind that if he plays as he has done for Leeds and for Brazil, he could be a very important player for Barca,” Casilla said. “In training, when he was shooting, I didn’t bother diving.
“He’s a player that likes to training and practicing a lot, and free-kicks are something he practices a lot,” Casilla continued, as Raphinha now looks to rival the likes of Ousmane Dembele and Ansu Fati for a place in the side.
Casilla has given his take on Raphinha joining Barcelona from Leeds
Will Raphinha start for Barcelona? Dembele is expected to sign a new deal with Xavi’s side, with a two-year offer on the table. Fati, as well as January recruit Ferran Torres, will provide his competition.
Fati is arguably the best of the lot, especially given his Barcelona roots. Torres is naturally a striker but is excellent out wide. However, Raphinha is likely to start on the right above Dembele and Fati above Torres on the left.
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