Barça continues working on planning for the next season and one of the open files in Camp Nou offices is the renewal of Raphinha... who has so far rejected the contract extension offer presented by the board chaired by Joan Laporta.
According to El Nacional, the Brazilian winger, whose current contract expires in 2027, is not satisfied with the conditions proposed by the blaugrana club. Despite being one of the most used by Hansi Flick so far, Raphinha believes that his performance deserves a much more ambitious contractual improvement.
2 Obstacles for Raphinha
The main obstacle in the negotiations lies in two key points: the duration and the salary. Laporta proposes extending the contract until 2029, but without offering a substantial economic improvement... Something that doesn't convince Raphinha, who also knows about the interest from major Premier League clubs and even from Saudi Arabia.
The only thing both parties have reportedly reached a preliminary agreement on is setting a clause of 80 million: a relatively accessible figure for teams with financial muscle. This detail, far from being reassuring, fuels rumors about a possible departure of the Brazilian if the situation is not solved soon.
Raphinha, meanwhile, has repeatedly expressed his desire to succeed at Barça, but not at any cost. He knows that his prominence in the team could be reduced if reinforcements like Nico Williams or Luis Díaz, two stars on the Catalan club's agenda, finally arrive.
Raphinha, Possibility in Saudi Arabia
Al-Hilal has shown interest in Raphinha, offering a figure close to 100 million euros for his transfer. This proposal comes at a time when Barça is looking to balance its accounts and reduce the wage bill.
Despite the tempting offer, Laporta has reiterated his confidence in Raphinha, a key piece in Hansi Flick's scheme this season.
However, everything could change if there is still no agreement for his renewal by summer. Barça, according to Madrid-Barcelona, has set the start of the market as a deadline to have this matter solved. If Raphinha still hasn't renewed by then or the positions remain distant, a departure of the culer idol can't be ruled out.