Chelsea and ArsenalThe hope of drawing Raphinha seems to be gone forever Barcelona eventually agreed a fee with Leeds United, according to reports.
The Brazilian has been at the center of one of the biggest transfer saga of the summer, with a host of Premier League clubs all vying for his signature.
Chelsea were actually the first club to agree a fee with Leeds, believed to be worth £55million initially, while Arsenal also held extensive talks with the players’ camp.
However, Raphinha had always had his sights set on a move to the Camp Nou and he is now closer than ever to realizing his dream after Barca finally made an acceptable offer.
According to the Spanish newspaper SportBarca have now reached an agreement to sign Raphinha for €55 million (£46.5 million) plus a further €10 million (£8.5 million) in add-ons.
That makes the deal worth slightly less than what Chelsea were willing to offer, but Leeds has given in to the Brazilian’s desire to play for Barcelona.
Barca have been close to an agreement since last Friday, but discussions have focused on the additions and the structure of the deal.
Leeds was initially skeptical of Barcelona’s payment plan – which this week includes a second financial ‘lever’ that frees up more money – but those fears have been dispelled.
The Premier League squad has already authorized Raphinha to fly to Catalonia and he will do so soon.
He has already signed a five-year contract with the Spanish giants, with personal terms just a formality at this stage.
Raphinha will undergo a medical on Wednesday morning and Barca hope he can join the rest of the squad when they fly to the US for their pre-season tour.
the athletic also report that Raphinha’s move is now at an advanced stage, although some finishing touches are still needed for the deal – which will take place over the next 24 hours.
Raphinha will be Barcelona’s most expensive signing of the summer and the club will also announce a new deal for Ousmane Dembele – who trained with the club on Tuesday – while Xavi still hopes to make a deal for Bayern Munich star Robert Lewandowski.
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