Barcelona announced that it had reached a preliminary agreement on the signing of Brazilian Rafael Dias Piloli "Rafinha" from Leeds United, pending the player's passing medical examinations.
The value of the deal was not disclosed, but Spanish press reports indicated that it amounted to 55 million euros, plus 15 million in bonuses, over five years.
Rafinha, 25, was linked to a contract until June 2024 with his English club, which he joined from Rennes in 2020.
It is noteworthy that Barcelona fell into a huge debt trap (more than one billion dollars), forcing it at the end of last June to give up 10% of its television rights to the American Sixth Street Company for the next 25 years, in exchange for 207.5 million euros, and it is expected to give up 15%. New for 330 million euros, according to the Catalan press, it will revive his treasury to include more players who are able to make up for his disappointing season.
"Barcelona and Leeds have reached an agreement in principle for the transfer of Rafinha, pending his medical examination," Barcelona wrote in a statement.
Rafinha is Barcelona's third pre-season deal, after Ivory Coast midfielder Frank Kissier from AC Milan and Danish defender Andreas Christensen from Chelsea on two free contracts.
Rafinha was born in Porto Alegre and grew up with FC Avai, then joined Portugal's Guimarães at the age of 19 in 2016.
He moved to Sporting Portugal in 2018 for 6.5 million euros, then Rennes for 21 million a year later in 2019.
Last season, he scored 11 goals and 3 assists in 35 matches with Leeds in the local league.
Rafinha was chased by English clubs such as Arsenal and Chelsea.
He played his first international match with Brazil last October against Venezuela, then the qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, with a score of 9 international matches, in which he scored 3 goals and two assists.
In Barcelona, he may face competition from French winger Osman Dembele, who is close to renewing his contract after six months of negotiations.
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