Arsenal are now considering rivalling Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur for the transfer of a player Gunners boss Mikel Arteta failed to sign in 2022 and again in 2023.
The summer sales are soon set to start and Arteta wants Arsenal to get a jump start on their plans. Emirates Stadium chiefs are prepared to back the Spaniard over the off-season having guided Arsenal to a Premier League title fight and into the Champions League quarter-finals.
Arsenal have now fought for the top-flight title in each of the past two seasons after backing Arteta’s transfer plans. Moves for Gabriel Jesus, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Leandro Trossard transformed the club in 2022/23, before securing the arrivals of Declan Rice and Kai Havertz.
Arsenal weigh up reviving their interest in Raphinha’s transfer
Now, Arteta wants Arsenal to improve his attacking options and could target the transfer of FC Barcelona winger Raphinha. That is according to GiveMeSport, which reports that Arteta has included the 27-year-old amongst his list of potential targets for the upcoming window.
Newcastle are also interested in Raphinha with Eddie Howe eager to identify their attacking targets early, as well. The Toon coach has also told his club’s majority owners, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), that signing a right winger is a priority for the summer market.
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Arteta does not view the Brazilian as a top target but will move to hold talks with Barcelona if Arsenal’s efforts to sign his alternative targets do not pay off. Raphinha is desperate to stay at Camp Nou, too. However, Barcelona may have to entertain bids to improve their finances.
Reports by Sport in April even noted that Barcelona have already rejected a €60m (£51.5m) bid from an unnamed Premier League club. The Blaugrana will only consider letting the 22-cap Selecao star leave Camp Nou for at least €80m (£68.5m) as he is a key cog in their XI.
Mikel Arteta has failed with bids for Raphinha in 2022 and 2023
Interest from Arsenal, Newcastle and Tottenham could help Barcelona to hold out for their full asking price for Raphinha’s transfer. Dean Jones has credited Spurs with an interest in a swoop for the Brazilian, too. But Tottenham hope more than expect to be able to sign him.
Arteta could also give Arsenal an edge in any transfer tug-of-war having wanted to secure a deal for Raphinha since he was at Leeds United. The Daily Mail noted in June 2022 that the Gunners failed with an offer for the winger then as it fell below the Whites’ £60m valuation.
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Reports by Sport in February 2023 also noted that Arteta revived Arsenal’s interest in a deal for Raphinha. But Barcelona knocked back the north London giants after they offered €70m (£60m). Leeds sold him to Barcelona in July 2022 for €58m (£50m), rising to €65m (£56m).
Now, Arteta may go for the hat-trick and target Raphinha’s transfer for a third year in a row. The Porto Alegre native has 20 goals and 24 assists in 86 games for Barcelona. He also gave Leeds, where Dan James called Raphinha a ‘magician’, 17 goals and 12 assists in 67 outings.