Raphinha will forever owe a debt of gratitude to Leeds United icon Marcelo Bielsa. The Brazilian superstar spent two years at Elland Road after joining the West Yorkshire outfit from Stade Rennais in the summer of 2020 for a fee thought to be around €17m.
It proved an astute piece of business as Raphinha wowed the Whites fan-base with his flair and quality in the final third. His superb performances in the Premier League convinced Barcelona to fork out £55m for his services in 2022.
Raphinha enjoyed working under Bielsa. In an interview with Argentine outlet MDZol, Raphinha said: “He was the person responsible for getting me to play in the Premier League, which was my dream, and being able to enjoy that moment with him was something special.
“In the end, he’s given me a lot. I have to thank him a lot for being here, because if Barça was interested in me, it was because of the work I did at Leeds, and especially the work Marcelo made me do. I’m very grateful to him, forever.”
Raphinha is playing the best football of his career this season. The 28-year-old has registered 31 goals and and 17 assists from 47 matches across all competitions, helping Barcelona reach the semi-finals of the Champions League.
Raphinha has been linked with a move to the Saudi Pro League, but he is under contract with the Spanish giants until 2027. When asked about his future, he told Movistar: "What's next? My contract extension. It's illogical to think about reaching the top of football without Barcelona.
"Honestly, I'm really enjoying everything right now. I couldn't have imagined this even in my dreams."
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