Xavi delighted with Barcelona’s attacking target, has already planned a crucial role for him | OneFootball

With the prospect of Ousmane Dembele’s exit from Camp Nou looming large, FC Barcelona are now desperate to find a new attacker in the market.

Given how highly Xavi rates Dembele, the Barcelona coach will be quite disappointed with the club’s failure to agree a new deal with the winger.

Although both parties were willing to make sacrifices, Dembele and his agents were holding out for a wage much higher than what Barcelona had offered. The news of his exit could soon become official in the coming hours.

However, according to Diario SPORT, Xavi has been left impressed by Dembele’s desired replacement, in the form of Raphinha.

Raphinha has indeed emerged as the primary target for Barça. The club representatives consider the Leeds United winger as the ideal replacement for Dembele, due to his pace and trickery out wide.

Barcelona have made positive strides as well, in their pursuit of the former Rennes winger. Thave have agreed personal terms with the player back in March, thanks to Deco, who is serving as the player’s agent.

Raphinha is expected to sign a five-year contract at Barcelona. He will accept the club’s current salary base but there are a plethora of add-ons that could see him earn lucrative wages at Camp Nou.

Xavi has high hopes from the Brazilian and has already identified a role for him in the Barcelona first-team next season.

However, the Catalans have a long way to go before they can secure the services of the Premier League superstar. Although they have agreed personal terms, the club are yet to reach an agreement with Leeds over the transfer fee.

With the Whites’ survival in the Premier League, the possibility of signing Raphinha for a fee of just €25 million has withered.

Barça have recently come up with a €35 million offer for the player, but it was swiftly rejected by Leeds United, who are holding out for a fee of around €50 million.