Deco holding off Premier League giants as Barça weigh up Raphinha deal

Deco holding off Premier League giants as Barça weigh up Raphinha deal

| sport

The Brazilian winger is a target for the Catalans for next season

“If Deco was not Raphinha’s agent, he would already have signed for Liverpool or Chelsea.” That’s a comment form someone who knows the intimate details of Barcelona’s move for Leeds United winger Raphinha.

Without the former Barcelona playmaker, it’s hard to imagine Raphinha having waited for the Catalans. 

Deco gave his word to Joan Laporta and Mateu Alemany that he would not let the winger move anywhere while Barcelona tried to sign him. The player has stayed firm, despite Barcelona’s financial limbo.

Deco waited for the club’s staff and Xavi to approve Rapha’s arrival and quietly observed the Dembele soap opera from a distance.

Deco did his work as an agent. Since March, he has had a salary agreement with Barcelona and started speaking to Leeds about his client’s desire to leave for Barcelona.

The former Barcelona player left everything on track for the Catalans to negotiate a deal with Leeds.

Five of the Premier League’s big six - Tottenham, Man United, Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea - have presented offers for him which Barcelona cannot hope to reach. Some of those clubs would pay 65m euros that Leeds want, as well as a much higher salary.

Raphinha is ahead of Dembele on Chelsea’s wish list for the right wing, while Klopp wants him too at Liverpool. Signing Darwin Nunez has not sated the Reds, who still have an offer on Deco’s table.

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