Barcelona reportedly invested £50m to buy Raphinha from Leeds United in July 2022.
The winger spent two seasons at Leeds United, during which time he managed 17 goals and 12 assists from 67 games. He was instrumental in helping the Whites avoid being relegated in his last season at Elland Road.
Raphinha wasn’t able to fully convince at the Camp Nou in his first two seasons and this led to reports linking him with a move away from Barcelona.
Since then, the Brazil international’s situation has improved and he’s one of the standout players at Barcelona. He’s managed 27 goals and registered 20 assists from 47 games so far this season.
Journalist Xavier Bosch, writing in his column for Catalan newspaper Mundo Deportivo, looks at the 28-year-old’s rise at Barcelona.
Raphinha played under Marcelo Bielsa at Leeds United and the Argentine coach had the most influence on his career.
Bosch points out the player experienced ups and downs with the manager, mainly due to Bielsa’s ‘high demands’. These demands and lessons helped him in his development with the Whites. This was crucial for him to join Barcelona and to receive a call up from Brazil in 2021.
The journalist also claims Bielsa changed the South American’s playing style at Leeds. The current Uruguay manager made Raphinha into a committed team player.
He then states: ‘Far from the lazy pose that sometimes accompanies Brazilian players. All the aggressiveness and intensity that he wastes in every game he acquired from his time in the Premier League with Leeds…’
Last summer, Barcelona wanted to offload Raphinha and replace him with Athletic’s Nico Williams. This operation didn’t go through, providing the ex-Leeds man a new opportunity.
Raphinha grabbed it with both hands and has excelled under Hansi Flick this season.
