Leeds United support will shudder at fresh Raphinha, Man Utd transfer revelations | OneFootball

The former Leeds winger has been linked with a potential move to Manchester United

Despite rarely competing at the same level since the turn of the Millennium, the rivalry between Leeds United and Manchester United will never dissipate.

Whilst being in the Championship for a second successive season, Whites supporters have enjoyed much more of an entertaining ride - in a good sense, at least - than their cross-Pennine rivals, who look set for their worst league season since 1989 despite a change in head coach in the form of Ruben Amorim.

There is every chance that the two clubs will renew an age-old feud next season, with Leeds currently joint-top of the second tier alongside Sheffield United, two points ahead of Burnley in third.

If promotion is to be achieved, those on the terraces at Elland Road will hope that 49ers Enterprises and Daniel Farke are able to recruit as strongly as the summer of 2020, as the club returned to the Premier League with a bang under Marcelo Bielsa, recording a ninth-place finish.

Unquestionably, the signing of the season in West Yorkshire was Brazilian wide man Raphinha, who went on to etch his name into the hearts of those who watched his dazzling performances week-on-week, as well as by scoring vital goals for the club.

Therefore, Leeds supporters will be hoping that the Barcelona man doesn't follow in the footsteps of Eric Cantona and Rio Ferdinand by signing for the Red Devils, based off fresh transfer revelations.

Raphinha is the epitome of a modern-day cult hero at Leeds United

After signing for just £17m from Stade Rennais under Bielsa, the Porto Alegre native was part of a dynamic Whites attack alongside the likes of Rodrigo and Patrick Bamford, scoring six goals and registering nine assists, capturing the imagination of supporters who were largely forced to view games on television as a result of COVID-19 restrictions.

However, what would prove to be his second and final campaign in West Yorkshire, despite penning a four-year contract, saw the former Sporting CP winger come up with moments that would define the club's eventual fortunes.

The right-winger would start the campaign in a rich vein of form with three goals in the first seven games, before netting eight further strikes across the season.

After scoring against Watford in a vital 3-0 success, the relegation dogfight would go down to the final day of the season, with Leeds needing to better Burnley's result, but do so at the Gtech Community Stadium against a solid Brentford outfit.

Raphinha was instrumental on the day alongside Jack Harrison, with the winger the coolest man in West London as he slotted home a 56th-minute penalty to give United a crucial advantage, before being at the front and centre of the celebrations after Jack Harrison's 94th-minute winner preserved the club's Premier League status.

The Brazilian definitely went out with a bang in West Yorkshire, and with the fans' good wishes, as Barcelona would lodge a £55m bid for his services, and he has since gone on to shine for the Catalan outfit.

Leeds United support will hope Manchester United are unsuccessful in €70m Raphinha pursuit

After two steady seasons for Barca, the 28-year-old has been instrumental in the club's quadruple pursuit, having won the Supercopa whilst sitting top of La Liga and still in with a chance of winning the UEFA Champions League and Copa del Rey.

The 31-time international has also been rewarded for excelling on the biggest stages by being given the captaincy on several occasions by Hansi Flick as well as reports of a fresh contract.

His exploits in the Champions League are what has set himself aside from the rest with an 11-goal haul in Europe, including a hat-trick in a demolition of Bayern Munich, in which BBC commentator Guy Mowbray stated: "They tell me he learned all that at Elland Road."

A tally of 23 goal contributions in 27 La Liga appearances is just as impressive, as the 'Blaugrana' look to fend off Real Madrid and secure just a second league title in six years, with Raphinha, Lamine Yamal and Robert Lewandowski forming a formidable front-three.

Yamal and his Brazil head coach, Dorival Jr, have already made claims that the former Leeds ace could win the Ballon d'Or after a stellar season and start to 2025, with his performance levels unsurprisingly catching the eye of staff at Old Trafford, as Amorim looks to restore the club to its former glories.

It was reported by the Guardian that United are set to face a transfer window of limited resources this summer, but that hasn't stopped the 20-time champions plotting a move for Raphinha and Nico Williams, according to fresh revelations from TEAMtalk, with Fichajes also stating that a €70m offer has already been made by the side currently 13th in the Premier League

Given all the wide wizard achieved in LS11 in just 67 appearances, Leeds fans will hope that 'O Rei' as he is known in Spain, thinks with his heart and isn't swayed by the potential rebuilding job in Manchester, which is something they would surely let him know about next season if he was to face off against them wearing the Red and White.