SHARE

Earlier today we covered claims from Sport that Barcelona don’t want to pay more than €25m for Raphinha, despite Leeds United avoiding relegation from the Premier League.

There’s a certain arrogance in the approach from the Catalan media, and there’s now another slant from Mundo Deportivo, who have the Brazilian on their Friday front page.

Mundo say the Raphinha situation is stalled due to Ousmane Dembele. Despite claiming otherwise previously, it’s now claimed Barcelona will only move for the Leeds player if Dembele exits on a free transfer.

To be clear, Mundo Deportivo state: ‘Only if Dembele leaves will Raphinha be able to stop in Barcelona. There is no space, much less salary margin for the two. And more, after Leeds saved themselves in the Premier League. The departure of the international ‘canarinho’ has not dropped in price and is far from the €25m agreed in case of having dropped to the Championship.’

Barcelona are set for a further meeting with Dembele’s camp to try and resolve his future, and him staying at the Camp Nou isn’t ruled out, especially given other clubs aren’t exactly rushing forward to sign him on the wages he wants.

Should Dembele go then it’s explained Barcelona will enter a ‘new battlefield’ as they’ll try to agree a price with Leeds United for Raphinha.

However, it seems clear the Brazilian is an idea they could walk away from.