Barcelona’s number eleven, Raphinha, is set to renew with the Catalans, and the move is confirmed. It’s been a roller coaster ride for the Brazilian as everyone doubted his future in Catalonia. But with hard work, commitment, and love for the badge, the winger has won Laporta’s trust and will renew his contract on Thursday.
A Legendary Arc: From Near-Exit to Ballon d’Or Contender
Just a year ago, Raphinha was on the brink of an exit. Things were not going his way, and even though he scored some crucial goals, critics questioned his spot in the starting XI. Nico Williams became a fan favorite after the Euros, and even the Brazilian thought his time in the Blaugrana colors was nearing its end.
But Hansi Flick’s trust changed everything. He made the Brazilian trust in his instincts, and immediately, everything changed. He exploded, scored in clásicos, in clutch moments, and won games single-handedly. Raphinha topped the Ballon d’Or rankings for the better part of the season and has an astonishing 34 goals and 25 assists, with one game to go.
Raphinha walks on his knees at Montjuic
Raphinha walked on the entire Montjuic pitch earlier today on his knees to celebrate Barcelona’s successful season. It was more of a gratitude walk than a ritual, as he thanked God and his fans for giving him so much success. At Leeds, Raphinha did it for the first time after saving the English club. At Barca, he has done it twice already.
Raphinha’s wife made an emotional post about his celebration and wrote about how the Brazilian has gotten through all the hard situations to reach this point. Raphinha has been a man who has fought for his place and earned his spot in the fans’ hearts. He put his body and mind on the line to achieve this glory and was successful. But this is just the beginning.
Raphinha’s Renewal is a Big Win for Barcelona
Barca has highly missed passionate, non-La Masia players to play for them after Messi’s golden generation ended. While there have been a few like Frenkie de Jong, most foreign players have not settled in properly at the club. Raphinha’s renewal breaks this cycle. Fabrizio Romano has announced that the Brazilian is set to stay until 2028. Remember that the player’s value has skyrocketed to over 80 million Euros this season (according to TransferMarkt).
Laporta has announced that the player wants to stay, and the club also wants him. Both parties are on the same page, have had tremendous success this season, and are surely on the road to greatness. And that’s worth a lot more than any transfer fee.