Chelsea interested in signing Barcelona’s Raphinha

Chelsea want to sign Barcelona attacker Raphinha, according to SPORT.

The Brazilian attacker rejected the Blues in favour of a move from Leeds United to Barca last summer.

Chelsea offered a higher fee and wages, but he had his heart set on joining the Spanish giants.

However, his first season in Spain has not gone according to plan. 

He has produced some superb performances, including in Barca’s Europa League double-header against Manchester United.

There have also been games where he has looked like a fish out of the water, such as their 4-0 Copa del Rey loss to Real Madrid.

His mazy dribbling and stormy runs that made him a menace in the Premier League are still there. But he is not as technically smooth as he needs to be to play for Barcelona.

He completes around 70% of passes per game, putting him in the 21st percentile among players in the top five European leagues.

Despite Raphinha’s struggles, his numbers have been promising. He has bagged six goals and four assists in 26 La Liga appearances.

The former Sporting CP attacker has two assists in five Champions League games. He also added a goal and an assist in two Europa League matches.

Barcelona need funds to sign and register new players. Club president Joan Laporta is considering asking players to take salary cuts and deferrals.

They plan to sell other players before Raphinha, but he will be an emergency sale to balance the books if necessary.