Barcelona boss Xavi rules out Arsenal transfer following Edu admission
Barcelona’s manager, Xavi, has dismissed the idea of Raphinha, a player of interest for Arsenal, leaving the club during the upcoming summer transfer window.
Raphinha joined Barcelona last year, despite previous interest from Arsenal and Chelsea, who were unsuccessful in securing the Brazilian international’s signature from Leeds United.
Nonetheless, there have been recent rumors suggesting that the 26-year-old could depart, and Raphinha contributed to the speculation by expressing his admiration for Mikel Arteta’s team earlier this year.
Xavi has stated that Raphinha, the ex-Leeds forward, will remain at Barcelona for the upcoming 2023/24 season as he is a crucial member of the La Liga champions’ squad. When discussing the winger’s future at the Nou Camp, Xavi emphasized that Raphinha is not available for transfer.
Spaniard said, via the Express : “Raphinha is not on the market.
“He’s staying at Barcelona and will help us a lot. He’s a crucial player for me and a really important player. He makes the difference.”
Arsenal’s sporting director, Edu, had previously openly discussed the club’s interest in the Barcelona star. He revealed that he had direct communication with Raphinha’s agent, Deco, regarding a potential move to North London. However, despite their efforts, a transfer to Arsenal did not come to fruition.
Speaking to Sky Sports last summer, he said: “People think we went in too deep about Raphinha because Raphinha was everywhere. It’s fair we did have some conversations with Deco because Deco is his agent, and I have a good relationship [with him] – we are friends.
“I just said to Deco, ‘Can you explain to me the situation with Raphinha?’ and he was clear. ‘Edu, we have a good relationship, but I’m not going to lie to you, his idea is to go to Barcelona because he’s dreaming of going to Barcelona, and we’ve been talking to Barcelona since a long time ago.’
“Okay, thank you very much. If something happens, then just let me know because I can explore and understand the situation. If not, no problem, and we carry on with our relationship.”
Barcelona boss Xavi rules out Arsenal transfer following Edu admission
