Chelsea could reportedly face competition from Arsenal and Newcastle United for the services of Barcelona attacker Raphinha this summer.
The 26-year-old joined Camp Nou from Leeds United last July and has been a key player for Xavi’s side this season, appearing on 37 occasions, scoring nine goals and registering nine assists.
Raphinha has six goals and four assists in 24 La Liga appearances, and three goals and five assists in the Champions League, Europa League, and Copa del Rey combined.
Despite being a regular under Xavi this season, there is currently talk about his future, with Barcelona likely needing to make some difficult decisions this summer due to financial issues.
Raphinha is allegedly regarded as a player capable of commanding a high price this summer, with Chelsea reportedly keeping a close eye on events.
When it became evident that the Brazil international would be departing Leeds for greener pastures, the Blues were strongly linked with him.
However, Barcelona came out on top to sign the right-sided attacker, who agreed to terms with the Catalan giants until the end of the 2026-27 season.
According to Sport, Arsenal and Newcastle are also interested in the South American, which could trigger a Premier League competition for his services this summer.
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Raphinha shone for Leeds during the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons, scoring 17 goals and contributing 12 assists in 67 games across all competitions.
Meanwhile, Newcastle are now in a position to compete for the top stars in world football. Chelsea are struggling to display their best play for much of the season.
Arsenal are five points ahead of second-placed Manchester City in the Premier League, and the Gunners are nearly likely to return to the Champions League next season.
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