Liverpool and Chelsea are both reportedly interested in Raphinha of Leeds United....CONTINUE READING THE FULL ARTICLE>>>
Last week, Sport in Spain reiterated Liverpool’s interest in the Brazil international, following weeks where Jurgen Klopp’s side weren’t all that linked.
During that time, Chelsea had emerged as favourites to sign the Leeds attacker, whom the Elland Road outfit want £65 million for [The Daily Mail].
However, the same publication – Sport – also claimed that the player had specifically asked Deco, his agent, to dissuade the Stamford Bridge club from making any further attempts to sign him.
And now, 90 Min has reported that the player has his heart set on joining Barcelona.
The report adds that an agreement is close between the Blaugrana and Leeds and that the player is already in Spain, awaiting the greenlight to travel for his medical.
If Liverpool were genuinely keen, this is a blow.
That’s because Klopp has lost two wide players this summer – Sadio Mane and Takumi Minamino – and signed none.
And with Raphinha being a proven Premier League star, well you can see why the German manager and Thomas Tuchel reportedly wanted the 24-year-old so badly.
Chelsea will bounce back and they’ve been heavily linked with signing Raheem Sterling of Manchester City, a similar type of player.
But for Liverpool, there isn’t a whole lot of speculation about Klopp bringing in another winger – apart from Raphinha – and it remains to be seen what the Reds’ contingency plan is for if and when the South America joins the Camp Nou club.
