Jesse March hints that Chelsea target Raphinha might be on his way out. (Photo by OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images)
It has been a steady rise for Leeds United since their return to the Premier League two years ago. Not as meteoric as that of Leicester City’s, but steady enough to maintain their top-flight status whilst developing some of the most sought-after players today in the current transfer market.
Raphinha is one of them, one could also make a case for him being the biggest name of the lot. Had Leeds been relegated last season, they would have had no choice but to do away with those names, or at least most of them, for a cut-price deal.
Thankfully for them, they beat the drop in dramatic fashion and owing to that, they are still a top-flight club and have leverage on their hands while negotiating. According to Fabrizio Romano on Twitter, Leeds United want £65m for the Brazilian and have made that very clear to all the clubs chasing him this summer.
Chelsea are slowly starting to get back to business following their backroom reshuffle, and it appears that new Chairman and interim Sporting Director Todd Boehly has already established contact with the West Yorkshire club.
The new Chelsea co-owner is believed to be working closely with Thomas Tuchel in regard to player recruitment, so it is very likely that the German has a part to play behind Boehly’s approach for Raphinha.
Arch-rivals Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur are also in the chase, with the Gunners having had a bid turned down already. Barcelona remain in the hunt too, but Leeds have communicated the same price tag via Barca icon and Raphinha’s agent, Deco.
It is not every day that a player of Raphinha’s talent and calibre is available on the market. The fact that Leeds are open to cashing in on him is good news for every club involved in the chase.
Barcelona are believed to have agreed to personal terms with Raphinha months ago, but their financial troubles mean that they are not in a position to match Leed’s valuation for the time being.
Out of all the clubs that remain, Arsenal cannot offer Champions League football while Tottenham are not in a place yet where they can challenge for silverware on a consistent basis.
That leaves Chelsea with an advantage, and it seems very likely that if a price can be agreed upon with Leeds, personal terms wouldn’t be a problem at all. Tottenham are also expected to launch a formal bid by the end of this week.
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