Chelsea are still waiting on a final decision from Leeds and Brazil winger Raphinha, with the winger exploring the possibility of a move to Stamford Bridge, according to Fabrizio Romano.
The 25-year-old has been linked with a move away from Elland Road throughout the summer.
GiveMeSport Transfer Update
What’s the latest on Raphinha?
The Athletic have reported that Chelsea are interested in bringing Raphinha to Stamford Bridge for a fee rumoured to be north of £55m.
The same report suggests that should a fee be agreed, it would then come down to the choice of the player, due to Barcelona’s interest, though it is thought that Arsenal are unlikely to be the Leeds star’s next destination.
It had heavily been linked before the conclusion of the season that Raphinha would be departing Leeds, and Xavi’s side were originally thought to be his most likely destination.
But Romano now feels that there’s a chance that the nine-time Brazil international could be staying in the Premier League, despite the Catalan giants’ interest.
What has Romano said about Raphinha?
He told GIVEMESPORT: “For Raphinha Chelsea are still there, they’re still waiting for the player to make a final decision.
“We know that, as Laporta says Raphinha wants to go to Barcelona.
“But it's also important to mention that at the moment, Barcelona still have no full agreement with Leeds.”
Will Raphinha sign for Chelsea?
It looks as unpredictable as ever to predict what lies in the future of Raphinha, who has been dubbed as a “phenomenon” by Brazil teammate Emerson Royal, though it seems more and more likely that he will be leaving Elland Road at some point this summer.
And he would likely be an excellent addition for whichever club he ends up signing for, having scored 11 goals, and provided three assists in 36 appearances for a struggling Leeds side last season according to Transfermarkt, with the winger playing a crucial part in Marco Bielsa and Jesse Marsch’s attacking output during the last campaign.
The 25-year-old also likes to get the ball forward, ranking in the top 10% of attacking midfielders/wingers for progressive passes per 90 minutes across Europe’s top five leagues and European competition last season (5.22), according to FBref.
Interestingly, Raphinha ranks in the top 9% of attacking midfielders/wingers for blocks according to the same stats provider, suggesting that he is a hard-working team player, and would be a positive addition to whichever side he joins.
A SofaScore rating of 6.97 for the Brazilian’s Premier League performances last season suggests that albeit the Elland Road club’s struggles over the last campaign, Raphinha was still able to put in high quality performances for his side on a relatively consistent basis.
Judging by his stats and performances last season, the "world-class" Raphinha would likely be a useful addition for both Chelsea or Barcelona next season, and he could pay that £55m transfer fee back should he be able to take his performances to the next level, surrounded by top-class players.