After agreeing to terms with Leeds United on a deal for the Brazilian winger on Tuesday, sources have told ESPN that Barcelona has beat Chelsea to the acquisition of Raphinha.
The total cost of the deal has not been confirmed by sources, but it is estimated to be over €60 million, including add-ons. The player is scheduled to fly to Barcelona on Wednesday.
Raphinha was also the subject of a bid from Chelsea, according to a June ESPN report, but the player's preference to join Barcelona has given the Catalan club the upper hand in the bidding.
Arsenal also shown interest, but the Gunners never followed through after their initial offer was rejected by Leeds in June.
Following weeks of negotiations, Barcelona and Leeds have reached an agreement. Leeds had pushed for a deal with Barcelona that was similar to the one they reached with Chelsea and was worth more than €70 million.
Barca's early offers were rejected because they were add-on-heavy and in numerous installments, according to sources close to the negotiations.
However, the two teams have now reached an agreement thanks to Raphinha's willingness to wait for Barca and his agent, Deco, who held numerous meetings with the club's sports director Mateu Alemany to assist resolve the issue.
Raphinha's arrival won't have an impact on Ousmane Dembele's future. Despite the fact that the Frenchman's contract with Barca terminated on June 30,However, he was on the practice field on Tuesday before agreeing to a new two-year contract with Camp Nou.
According to sources who spoke to ESPN, Dembele will sign his new contract by Thursday at the latest. The club's legal department is currently reviewing the final paperwork.
Raphinha, 25, a full international for Brazil, was crucial in helping Leeds win Premier League survival on the final day of the previous campaign.
Following a €20 million transfer from French club Rennes in 2020, he scored 17 goals in two seasons at Elland Road, including the penalty he converted in the victory over Brentford.
He first arrived in Europe in 2018, moving from Vitoria Guimares to Sporting Lisbon. He stayed in Portugal for one season before relocating to France.
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