Raphinha and his representatives have issued an ultimatum to FC Barcelona, demanding to know if they will sign the teenager from Leeds United the next week.
If Ousmane Dembele leaves as a free agent on June 30, the Brazilian international is first team coach Xavi Hernandez's top transfer target on the right wing.
However, with the Blaugrana pledging €700 million ($734 million) in financial "levers" following a members' vote last week, and the Frenchman assuring a fan from his car that he is "fine" at the Camp Nou, there are now whispers that the Russia 2018 World Cup winner may stay after all.
Raphinha's prospective entrance in Catalonia is complicated by this. According to Mundo Deportivo, the Brazilian has placed all of his proposals on hold and now wants Barcelona to clarify whether they will take a chance on him.
As a result, his agent, ex-Barca legend Deco, will travel to Barcelona this week to meet with the club's official and get answers.
Raphinha is believed to be willing to wait for Barcelona for as long as they need to prepare, despite having bigger, more financially appealing offers from elsewhere in the Premier League, like Liverpool and Chelsea, where Dembele has also been linked with a move.
These other suitors are pressuring Raphinha to make a decision quickly so that they may begin planning for next season, forcing Deco to make the trip and seek clarification.
Leeds United, who are also waiting for Barcelona to make a decision, have gone silent in Yorkshire. There is no direct communication between the clubs, as everything is routed through Deco. And the Whites inform MD that no formal bids have been made for their star player in the €40 million ($42 million) or €55 million ($58 million) ranges.
They do confess, though, that other English clubs have been interested in Raphinha, with Arsenal also in the running, and Leeds' patience may be challenged if Barcelona wins the race.
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The FC Barcelona defender and pop singer Shakira recently divorced.
Fans of Barcelona defender Gerard Pique and long-term companion Shakira were startled to learn of their split, which was confirmed earlier this month by the stars themselves. Pique appears to be less upset about the breakup, with Spanish media stating that he has been spotted out and about with his new ladylove.
Pique and Shakira began dating in 2010 after meeting in South Africa at the FIFA World Cup. The partnership produced two children, and despite the fact that they were never formally married, many people considered them as a married couple.
They did, however, confirm their divorce days after many stories surfaced alleging that Pique had returned to his bachelor home and was seeing another woman. Details are limited, and some bogus news has emerged, but reports about a new woman remain consistent, even as her identity remains unknown.
For the time being, Spanish media publications such as Marca suggest that a 22-year-old blonde woman has grabbed the footballer's eye. According to accounts, her name begins with a "C," and the couple met at a Barcelona nightclub where the young lady works as a waiter or event hostess.
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