The Blues have allegedly moved into pole position in their pursuit of Leeds United’s Raphinha. Director of Football Marina Granovskaia is spearheading the move and the club wants to close the deal by the summer.
The defending European champions could get the deal done for as little as 20 million pounds this summer due to a special relegation clause in the Brazilian’s contract as per reports. Raphinha was on the mark last weekend after coming off from the bench in Leeds’s disappointing 4-2 loss against Manchester United.
The club want to tie him down for a long contract but that could prove to be extremely difficult. Marcelo Biesla’s side hasn’t exactly hit the highs that they promised following their return to the Premier League last season. It has been a disappointing campaign of ups and downs and recurring injuries to high-profile players like Patrick Bamford and Kalvin Phillips have hamstrung their campaign.
The side from Yorkshire are five points clear of the relegation zone at the moment but Leeds supporters remain cautious about being dragged into a fight for survival. If the Whites fail to stay up in the top-flight in England, they could end up losing Raphinha for cheap.
According to Italian journalist Gianluigi Longari, the Brazilian has a 20-million-pound release clause stipulated in his contract if Leeds United get relegated from the Premier League again. The idea was to protect his value after he arrived for only 17 million from Rennes in 2020.
Raphinha has apparently been on Chelsea’s radar for over two years, dating back to his days in Ligue 1. His price has skyrocketed since the 17-million-pound move following a series of blistering performances in the Premier League as he has emerged as Leeds’ main creative and attacking outlet. He is now said to be valued at somewhere around 50 million pounds, according to The Mirror.
Although the player could end up costing less than half of his market value in case Leeds United get relegated, Chelsea are likely to face fierce competition for his signature. The Blues have begun talks with his representatives but will have to beat interest from Barcelona and Bayern Munich.
Barcelona’s interest could ultimately fall upon whether they’re able to qualify for the Champions League next season. Ironically, Ousmane Dembele, whose contract runs out at Barca this summer, is also on Chelsea’s radar and he could end up joining Thomas Tuchel’s side on a free transfer.
