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Talks about the future of Brazilian star Rafinha have returned to the forefront of the football scene in Spain, despite the latter’s contract extension until 2028.
According to Sky Sports journalist Sacha Tavolieri, the Catalan club are set to receive a formal offer of around €90m from Saudi Arabia after the World Cup this summer, which could be managed directly through well-known business agent Pini Zahavi, who is close to club president Joan Laporta and also represents Hansi Flick and Robert Lewandowski.
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Fantastic show
New reports suggest that Rafinha could receive an unprecedented financial offer of more than 30 million euros net per year, equivalent to 3 times his current salary at Barcelona, with a contract until 2028 and huge financial guarantees.
Despite huge temptations, the player remains hesitant to leave Barcelona this summer as he is still linked to the club’s sporting project and is convinced he can win the Champions League title with the Catalan outfit. However, it is not excluded that if the circumstances change, he will be more open to that idea in the future.
Zahavi is in the center of the scene
Pini Zahavi, who does not officially represent Rafinha, has previously approached him and is known for his extensive connections in Saudi football.
He played a key role in Neymar’s move to Al Hilal, one of the Saudi League’s most high-profile deals in recent years.
Zahavi is currently working with Barcelona’s management to find financial solutions to help the club balance its books and acquire enough capital to compete in a strong transfer market this summer.
Sources close to the club say Zahavi will arrive in Barcelona this week to discuss several files, notably the contract extensions of Flick and Lewandowski, in addition to Rafinha’s case, which could be the main focus of the meetings.
The main plan of Barcelona’s management is to complete at least one major sale this summer without damaging the backbone of the team.
Rafinha is currently one of the key elements in Hansi Flick’s project, which makes the idea of him leaving mathematically difficult.
The priority within the club is to sell players who play fewer minutes, such as Alejandro Balde, Jules Cunde and Marc Casado, but if no suitable offers come in or these players refuse to leave, Barcelona may have to look at other offers, including a huge offer from Saudi Arabia for Rafinha.
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Resigning from Al Hilal in the past and insisting on staying
Last summer, Rafinha received a major offer from Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal to compensate for Neymar’s departure, but he turned down a move and extended his contract with Barcelona, stressing his desire to stay and lead the team to titles. Since then, he has become one of the leaders of the dressing room and one of the pillars of the club’s new project.
A new challenge is on the horizon
The coming weeks will be decisive in deciding the player’s future as Barcelona face a difficult equation between the need for financial liquidity and holding on to one of their most popular players. As for Rafinha, he faces a fateful decision between remaining loyal to the Catalan project or going through an unprecedented financial experience in Saudi Arabia’s stadiums.
