Tottenham Hotspur have set their sights on securing the talents of Brazilian midfielder Raphinha, a player who twice snubbed the advances of north London rivals Arsenal in recent transfer windows.
Raphinha was a coveted figure upon leaving Leeds in the summer of 2022 and finally opted for a move to Barcelona in a lucrative £50 million deal, leaving Arsenal empty-handed in their pursuit of the player.
Following a challenging time at the Nou Camp, the Gunners were once again linked with the player during the January transfer window before his representatives swiftly quashed the speculation, affirming the player’s satisfaction with life at Barcelona.
Having made 36 La Liga appearances and scoring 10 crucial goals in their title-winning campaign, Raphinha’s time at Barcelona hasn’t been without hurdles. Injuries have disrupted his form, and the emergence of 16-year-old Lamine Yamal has added an element of uncertainty to his role in the team.
Recent reports from FootballTransfers suggest that Barcelona, facing ongoing financial woes, are now considering offloading Raphinha next summer. With an estimated price of £61 million, Spurs are reportedly expressing a “concrete interest” in luring the 19-cap international back to English shores.
Tottenham have suffered an injury crisis ahead of the international break, and an injury scare for Son Heung-min highlighted the fragility of manager Ange Postecoglou’s attacking options. Raphinha is believed to be seen as the right option to bolster the numbers, with the player’s impressive past performances in the Premier League outweighing any reservations over his time in Spain.