Brazilian winger will take a pay-cut to join Barcelona in the summer | OneFootball

With Ousmane Dembele almost a step and a half away from Camp Nou, Barcelona have kickstarted their pursuit of Raphinha.

The Leeds United winger has emerged as the club’s desired replacement for Dembele. He brings the pace and trickery on the flanks, while his productivity in the final third has left even Xavi Hernandez impressed with the potential new signing.

Barcelona are said to have an agreement in place with Raphinha since March. The club were helped by the involvement of former star Deco, who is currently serving as the agent for the Brazilian forward.

A recent report from Diario SPORT has offered an update on Barcelona’s pursuit of Raphinha, offering a few crucial insights into the deal.

It appears the forward has agreed upon a “smaller” salary package at Barça, in line with the club’s current financial structure that has forced star players to take up a pay cut, including January signing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

Raphinha may have to settle for a similar wage package. He will not be earning a lavish salary at Camp Nou and the overall package could be centered around performance-related bonuses.

Although the report fails to offer the exact details of the contract, it appears Raphinha is aware of Barcelona’s economic situation and simply wants to relish the prospect for donning the Blaugrana kit next season.

However, Barcelona have a long way to go before they can complete the deal to sign Raphinha this summer.

While they have a personal agreement with the player, the Catalans must reach an agreement with Leeds United, who have no intention to offload their star player.

The Whites have reportedly rebuffed Barça’s €35 million offer and are holding out for a fee of around €50 million, as they look to convince the Brazilian to remain at Elland Road beyond summer.