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Barcelona have won the LaLiga title this season following their 2-0 win over Espanyol on Thursday (May 15) at the RCDE Stadium. Lamine Yamal and Fermin Lopez scored to mark a fruitful night for Hansi Flick's team.
Meanwhile, the Catalans have identified a Serie A forward as Raphinha's replacement. Elsewhere, the Spanish champions have suffered a setback in their efforts to sign Jeremie Frimpong this summer.
On that note, let's look at the major Barcelona transfer stories from May 16, 2025.
Barcelona identify Raphinha replacement
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Rafael Leao
Barcelona have identified Rafael Leao as a possible replacement for Raphinha, according to Fichajes.net (via Barca Universal). The Brazilian forward has been in red-hot form this season, registering 34 goals and 25 assists from 55 games across competitions.
The player's efforts have already earned him admirers at multiple clubs across the continent. Raphinha is an indispensable part of Hansi Flick's starting XI, but a move away from Camp Nou cannot be ruled out at the moment.
The Catalans are in financial distress and are expected to turn to player sales to address the situation. Despite the 28-year-old's importance to their plans, the LaLiga giants could consider his exit for a massive fee.
Should Raphinha leave this summer, Barcelona will turn to Rafael Leao to fill the gap in attack. The Portuguese has registered 12 goals and 13 assists from 49 games across competitions this season for AC Milan.
It was previously believed that Leao is an unrealistic target for the Camp Nou hierarchy, but they now see him as a priority. However, the 25-year-old is under contract until 2028, and the Rossoneri have no desire to let him go.
Catalans suffer Jeremie Frimpong blow
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Jeremie Frimpong
Liverpool have reached an agreement to take Bayer Leverkusen's Jeremie Frimpong to Anfield this summer, according to SPORT (via Barca Universal). The Dutch right-back is also being eyed by Barcelona, who are looking to add more cover for Jules Kounde in the squad.
The Frenchman has been outstanding for the Catalans this season, but he is naturally a centre-back. Meanwhile, Kounde's backup in the squad, Hector Fort, has failed to live up to expectations.
Frimpong has been quite impressive for Bayer Leverkusen as well, managing five goals and 12 assists from 48 games across competitions this season. The 24-year-old's efforts have earned him admirers at Camp Nou.
However, Liverpool have apparently identified Frimpong as Trent Alexander-Arnold's replacement and are close to taking him to Anfield. The player has agreed to a contract until 2030, and the Reds will trigger his €40m release clause.
Barcelona ready to offload Ferran Torres
Ferran Torres" srcset="https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/05/2d076-17473636996253-1920.jpg?w=190 190w, https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/05/2d076-17473636996253-1920.jpg?w=720 720w, https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/05/2d076-17473636996253-1920.jpg?w=640 640w, https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/05/2d076-17473636996253-1920.jpg?w=1045 1045w, https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/05/2d076-17473636996253-1920.jpg?w=1200 1200w, https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/05/2d076-17473636996253-1920.jpg?w=1460 1460w, https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/05/2d076-17473636996253-1920.jpg?w=1600 1600w, https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/05/2d076-17473636996253-1920.jpg 1920w">
Ferran Torres
Barcelona are ready to listen to offers for Ferran Torres this summer, according to Fichajes.net (via Barca Universal). The Spanish forward has been in inspired form this season, registering 19 goals and seven assists from 45 games across competitions.
His contract runs until 2027, but the Catalans are apparently willing to let him go for €50m this summer. The LaLiga champions are in financial distress and are expected to turn to player sales to raise funds. Torres' versatility makes him a fine option for his suitors, but the final decision regarding a move will depend on the player.
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Deepungsu Pandit
Deepungsu is a veteran football journalist who has been covering daily transfer roundups and news for over six years at Sportskeeda. He has written 9000 articles for the website, and has garnered over 19.5 million reads.
Deepungsu holds a PG degree in Microbiology and an MBA degree in Total Quality Management. He has an extensive two-decade long writing experience, which includes a decade of sports blogging. His writing prowess has even led his work getting cited on the legendary Franz Beckenbauer's Wikipedia page.
Inspired by Diego Maradona, Deepungsu played as an attacking midfielder for his local club at subdivision level in his initial years and scored an important goal or two. However, his all-time favorite footballer is Lionel Messi, and evidently, he feels Argentina's glory in 2022 is his favorite FIFA World Cup moment for fulfilling his long-standing dream. He is also an ardent East Bengal fan.
Deepungsu has been a Manchester United supporter since the year 2000. Unsurprisingly, his favorite manager is Sir Alex Ferguson and the Scotsman helped him get through some of the toughest days of his life. Like the fiery Scot, Deepungsu also leaves no stone unturned when it comes to accuracy in articles and only relies on credible sources.
Despite believing in Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland to create an iconic rivalry, Deepungsu reckons no one can match the longevity of Messi and Ronaldo. He spends his leisure time writing about life on his blog, reading books, and playing the guitar.
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