Newcastle target Raphinha has declared that he wants to stay at Barcelona for “many years”, all but ending speculation that he will leave the Camp Nou this summer.
The former Leeds player has been linked with a return to the Premier League in recent months, with the Magpies, Chelsea and Arsenal having been mentioned as potential destinations but, when asked about his future, the Brazilian simply said:
“I want to stay at Barça for many years.”
It should be noted that Barca may yet have other ideas about Raphinha. Although they did pay €65m (£56.5m) to sign the 26-year-old last summer, they do need to balance the books.
The La Liga side are keen on bringing Lionel Messi back to the club and they also have other transfer targets that they will need funds for.
With that being the case, Barcelona could still offload Raphinha if they receive a suitable offer. From the sound of things, though, the winger wouldn’t be too keen on leaving.
Who else could Newcastle sign this summer?
The Magpies have already been linked with plenty of players ahead of the next transfer window, with the club looking to strengthen their options at left-back, in midfield and on the right wing
Arsenal’s Kieran Tierney, RB Leipzig’s Domink Szoboszlai and Villarreal’s Samuel Chukwueze are just a few names who have been mentioned as targets over the last week.