Having failed to sign Mykhaylo Mudryk from Shakhtar Donetsk as Chelsea swooped in at the last minute, Arsenal are now left with the task of finding and signing a new forward.
Nicolo Zaniolo has already been touted as an option for them, even if he is a slightly different type of player, but there is also Raphinha.
The Brazilian left Leeds United in the summer for Barcelona, which was his dream destination, but things haven’t quite worked out for him there, where he has often been played out of position and struggled to supplant a rejuvenated Ousmane Dembélé.
Sport have the latest on the situation on Wednesday, claiming that Arsenal ‘insist on signing Raphinha in January’.
This comes from Mikel Arteta, who is said to like the player a lot, and has asked those about him to sign the forward.
Arsenal are said to have ‘already contacted the footballer’s entourage to convey their intentions for him’, and want him ‘at all costs’, willing ‘to fight for his incorporation this January’.
While Raphinha is said to be ‘flattered by the interest’, he has also made it clear that he isn’t ready to leave Barcelona yet, and wants to ‘continue fighting for a starting position and become a decisive player’ in what Xavi is building in Catalonia.
Therefore, it’s very difficult that Arsenal can convince him to leave Barcelona in January, but it’s pointed out the Gunners ‘will take advantage of the talks with his entourage’ and the La Liga club ‘to remain well positioned in case the possibility of a departure opens up in the summer’.
