Manchester United is reportedly considering a move for FC Barcelona forward Raphinha, according to sources cited by the Spanish publication SPORT.
The Brazilian winger played nearly the full match in Barcelona’s 3-0 loss to AS Monaco during the Joan Gamper Trophy on Monday. Notably, Raphinha wore the captain’s armband for the first time since joining Barcelona from Leeds United in 2022, after regular captain Marc-Andre ter Stegen was substituted for Inaki Pena.
In recent weeks, Raphinha has attracted significant interest from Saudi Arabia. According to SPORT, Al-Nassr is willing to offer more than $100 million to bring the 27-year-old to their club, where he would join forces with Cristiano Ronaldo and Sadio Mane on the front line.
However, Manchester United has now entered the race for Raphinha. The Premier League club has been closely monitoring the situation of Frenkie de Jong, who faced boos from fans before the Gamper Trophy match. United’s interest in Raphinha comes as they are on the verge of offloading another Brazilian winger, Antony, who played in the Qatar 2022 World Cup. Additionally, the club is reportedly looking to part ways with Jadon Sancho, who was part of Borussia Dortmund’s squad that reached the Champions League final last season.
If United succeeds in offloading both Antony and Sancho, manager Erik ten Hag would be in need of a replacement for the right flank, a position where Raphinha could fit in seamlessly.
Raphinha is currently under contract with Barcelona until mid-2027 and has expressed no desire to leave. However, his future at the Catalan club is uncertain, particularly with the recent $60 million signing of Dani Olmo and the rise of young talent Lamine Yamal, both of whom are ahead of Raphinha in the pecking order for minutes on the right wing.
During the Joan Gamper Trophy match, Raphinha was shifted to a midfield role after Lamine and Ferran Torres were brought on, with Ilkay Gundogan leaving the pitch just 20 minutes after his introduction. Despite this, Barcelona’s abundance of options in the midfield makes it unlikely that Raphinha will secure a starting position there.
Barcelona is also reportedly targeting Nico Williams, which could further limit Raphinha’s opportunities on the left wing. Given these circumstances, the club might be open to selling Raphinha if a substantial offer from a club like Manchester United comes through.
