Barcelona superstar Raphinha remains fondly remembered at Leeds United to this very day, and it would be fair to say that the feeling is mutual amid a heartfelt admission on his time with the club working under Marcelo Bielsa.
Raphinha was signed by Leeds for a reported £17 million sum from French outfit Rennes in October 2020, months after they achieved a long-awaited promotion back to the Premier League.
That deal ended up representing one of the most outstanding bargains in Leeds' recent history as Raphinha enjoyed two remarkable campaigns in the top-flight, saving Leeds from relegation in the 2021/22 campaign with 11 league strikes.
His performances were enough to earn a blockbuster £55 million move to Spanish giants Barcelona, and the rest is history. Raphinha has transformed into a global sensation in Catalonia, starring alongside the likes of Robert Lewandowski, Lamine Yamal and Pedri to establish himself as one of the very best players in world football.
This season, Raphinha has registered a phenomenal 32 goals and 22 assists from 54 appearances across all competitions, including 13 strikes in the UEFA Champions League in Barça's run to the semi-finals.
Raphinha's career stats by club via FotMob, as of May 12
Years
2016-2018
2018-2019
2019-2020
2020-2022
2022-
A leading contender to win the Ballon d'Or later this year, the Brazilian winger most recently provided a brace in Barcelona's thrilling 4-3 El Clásico victory over arch-rivals Real Madrid, but it's what he revealed after that may grab the attention of Leeds fans nearly three years on from his exit.
Raphinha's Marcelo Bielsa, Leeds United admission
Raphinha, it would seem, owes much of his current success to Bielsa, who handed him a "dream" opportunity to play in the Premier League.
Raphinha scores a hat-trick for Barcelona vs Bayern Munich
The 28-year-old is appreciative of both Leeds and Bielsa for where he is today, and explained how he is forever grateful to his former boss.
After Barcelona's El Clásico triumph, Raphinha is quoted as saying, via MDZol: “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.
Marcelo Bielsa Leeds United
“I’m very grateful to him, forever.”
Leeds United will hope for another Raphinha-esque deal this summer
Leeds undeniably struck gold with the acquisition of Raphinha upon their return to the Premier League.
Raphinha while playing for Leeds United
Executing a similarly-impressive deal could be difficult as they are now operating without the convincing pull of Bielsa in what is an even more difficult and costly market.
But the deal came about from being cost-effective and exploring overseas markets, both of which Leeds should be looking to do this summer as they look to re-establish themselves in the Premier League following promotion under Daniel Farke.
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Fresh reports have suggested that Everton are unlikely to sanction the sale of striker Beto to Leeds United this summer.
Recent reports have revealed that the German boss will be backed with a transfer kitty in excess of £100 million, meaning the funds are there to attract top-class talent to Elland Road.