Leeds have no intention of selling Raphinha
Leeds are determined not to sell Raphinha this summer, despite reported interest from Liverpool and Manchester United.
The winger arrived from Rennes for £17m in the summer and has proved to be a shrewd signing, slotting seamlessly into Marcelo Bielsa side.
Leeds bought Raphinha for £17m.
— 90min (@90min_Football) February 23, 2021
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He has registered five goals and five assists in 21 Premier League games this season and has also forced his way into the top ten for shot creating actions per 90 minutes in the division. This puts him above the likes of Sadio Mane, Bernardo Silva and Harry Kane.
His fine form has unsurprisingly caught the eye of several top teams, with both Liverpool and Manchester United said to be interested in signing him this summer. United have long been linked with a move for Jadon Sancho and while those avenues remain open, Raphinha is another player that they are keen on. Meanwhile, Liverpool look in need of freshening up going forward with both Mane and Roberto Firmino registering dwindling goal tallies this season.
Despite this interest, according to the Mirror, Leeds are desperate to hold onto one of their key players and, luckily for them, Raphinha seems unlikely to force through a move. He is understood to be happy at Elland Road, forging a close relationship with fellow Portuguese speaker Helder Costa. He is also close with Patrick Bamford, who he talks to in French.
Instead of selling Raphinha in the summer, Leeds are instead eyeing up a spending spree in order to strengthen the squad. Despite spending around £100m at the the beginning of the season, the Whites are expected to dive into the transfer market once again to ensure that they remain in the top flight for many years to come.
Bielsa's charges have quashed any relegation fears this term and currently sit 11th in the Premier League table, 15 points clear of the drop zone with 12 games to play.