Raphinha, a target of Chelsea, appears to have been signed by Barcelona first.
The playmaker from Leeds United will be acquired by the Spanish powerhouses in a deal worth a total of £63 million.
The Brazilian has always chosen Barcelona as his final destination, but up until recently, only Chelsea could match Leeds's estimate of £55 million plus any add-ons of £8 million.
However, a last-minute move by the Nou Camp team makes it more probable than not that the player will complete his ideal transfer.
Raphinha wanted to pursue his dream of playing at Camp Nou and hence preferred a move to Spain. He is being represented by Deco, the former Barcelona player, who chalked out a way to make the transfer possible.
After Barca matched the offer of Chelsea, Leeds had no qualms in allowing the winger to seal a move away from the Premier League.
There is no denying Barcelona's severe financial condition. In the summer transfer window, they set some lofty goals, and in order to fund such transactions, they must sell, or at the absolute least, remove salary from their books.
It is believed that before they can sign any of the top players on their summer transfer shortlist, they must raise approximately €600 million (£515 million/$630 million).
Franck Kessie and Andreas Christensen's new contracts have been made official, but they have not yet been registered, which can only happen after Barca has balanced its accounts.
They are rumored to be after players like Robert Lewandowski, Jules Kounde, Kalidou Koulibaly, and Bernardo Silva, and even Cristiano Ronaldo has been associated with the Catalan club.
Barca plan to raise extra money by agreeing to non-footballing deals, such as selling 49.9 per cent of the club's Licensing and Merchandising (BLM).
The sale of 10% of the club's TV rights for a 25-year period has already been agreed upon with American investment firm Sixth Street, but the deal is only worth up to €267 million.
However, club president Joan Laporta will have a little more breathing room to maneuver in the transfer market because to Clement Lenglet's loan move to Tottenham.
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