Barcelona 'want £88.6m for Arsenal-linked Raphinha'

Barcelona are reportedly demanding as much as €100m (£88.6m) to sanction the sale of Arsenal-linked attacker Raphinha.

The Premier League leaders are said to have reignited their interest in the Brazilian after losing out to Chelsea in the race to sign Mykhaylo Mudryk from Shakhtar Donetsk.

Both Arsenal and Chelsea were linked with a move for Raphinha in the summer, with the ex-Rennes man scoring 11 goals to help Leeds United stay in the Premier League last season.

Tottenham Hotspur were also credited with an interest, but Barcelona successfully concluded a deal for the 26-year-old, who is under contract at Camp Nou until 2027.

However, Raphinha's future in Catalonia is already being called into question, and Arsenal have supposedly approached Barcelona to sound out a possible transfer this month.

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Raphinha's contract situation means that Barcelona will not be pressured into selling on the cheap, though, and Sport claims that Arsenal will need to pay Mudryk-like money to get their man.

The Gunners ultimately refused to meet Shakhtar's €100m (£88.6m) asking price for Mudryk, but they can supposedly expect to be quoted an identical amount to sign Raphinha.

The report adds that Barcelona president Joan Laporta will not consider any lower offers for the former Rennes man, who has three goals and five assists to show from 23 games in his debut season for La Blaugrana.

However, Raphinha has found starts difficult to come by in recent weeks under Xavi, and he has only been named in the first XI in one of their last seven La Liga contests.

The Brazil international was also given just a 12-minute run-out in Sunday's 3-1 win over Real Madrid in the Supercopa de Espana final, with Ousmane Dembele and Gavi preferred in the wide areas.

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Arsenal are believed to be focusing on signing a new attacker this month after Gabriel Jesus was ruled out until March due to knee surgery, while Reiss Nelson is also dealing with a thigh injury.

Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli have nailed down the wide spots in the Arsenal XI this season, while Fabio Vieira, Emile Smith Rowe and Marquinhos provide backup from the bench.

Smith Rowe, who underwent groin surgery in the autumn, made his first Premier League since September in Arsenal's 2-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur in Sunday's North London derby, which sent the Gunners eight points clear of Manchester City at the top of the table.

Arteta was asked about his feelings on missing out on Mudryk after the game, and the Gunners boss re-emphasised his desire to strengthen the squad over the winter, telling a press conference: "We have excellent players.

"We want to improve our squad in this transfer window and when I say we, myself, the coaching staff, the staff, the players, the board, and ownership. We are all in this together, but we will do the deals that we can do and that we believe is right for the football club."

Arsenal's 19th game of the Premier League season sees them host Manchester United at the Emirates next Sunday, while Raphinha can feel confident about returning to Barcelona's starting XI in Thursday's Copa del Rey last-16 clash with third-tier AD Cueta.