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Premier League giants Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United are all battling it out for Leeds United star Raphinha. That is according to Fichajes.
European heavyweights Bayern Munich and Juventus are also interested. It will, however, take a large sum to persuade Leeds to let him go.
In what has been a disappointing season so far for the club, Raphinha has been Leeds’ standout performer. The Brazilian boasts eight goals and one assist in 16 league matches. He has been a regular in Marcelo Bielsa’s starting XI. The winger has played 90 minutes in all but four of those 16 games.
He has definitely been the man his side have looked for most when needing a hero. The attacker always steps up in the big games. He has found the back of the net against the likes of Chelsea, Arsenal, West Ham and Leicester.
💫 Hop, skip and a goal!! pic.twitter.com/kRG4YEZr1l
— Leeds United (@LUFC) December 11, 2021
Raphinha has also starred for his national side. He has scored twice in his five matches for the Brazilian national team, having made his debut in October this year.
It is certainly no surprise then that the big teams are showing interest in the forward. Will a move take place in the January transfer window? Will Leeds suffer relegation and lose their key player in the summer? Or will they manage to keep hold of him?
Liverpool sourcing attacking reinforcements
Liverpool were perhaps the first club to show interest in the Leeds winger. The Reds have relied heavily on their talented front three of Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah over the years.
But Diogo Jota has shown that it is not impossible to break up that trio. Raphinha may just believe he can do the same thing.
Moreover, the Reds have somewhat lost their way of late. With Covid once again causing players to miss games, and injuries forcing players onto the sidelines, all clubs are needing reinforcements.
That is especially true of Liverpool. They rarely rest the likes of Salah and Mane. Raphinha would be a welcome addition to Jurgen Klopp’s attacking options.
Man Utd and Chelsea also eyeing Raphinha
Unfortunately for Liverpool, their rivals Man Utd and Chelsea are also reportedly monitoring the situation. Both clubs have also been impacted by injuries and Covid lately.
Chelsea certainly have a long list of attacking talents in their camp. But whether Thomas Tuchel is convinced that they are the right men for his side is another matter entirely.
As for United, they have fallen well behind in the goals scored column. They have 27 league goals so far this season. That is compared to 50 and 43 for Liverpool and Chelsea respectively.
Cristiano Ronaldo has been their go-to man in the final third. But there is undoubtedly a creative spark still missing there. Leeds’ Raphinha definitely has it in him to provide that creativity.
But the Premier League clubs need to be careful in their pursuit. European outfits Bayern Munich and Juventus are also keeping tabs on the 25-year-old. Could he be tempted with a move to Germany or Italy?
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