Overview
- Deco, Barcelona’s sporting director, confirmed on Saturday that the club has an agreement in principle with Raphinha to extend his contract to June 2030 and that signatures are expected soon.
- Raphinha has publicly said he wants to renew and finish his career at Barcelona and has noted he will only leave if the coach tells him he is not needed.
- The player declined a very significant proposal from Saudi clubs earlier this summer and previously considered large Saudi offers in 2024 that he weighed for family reasons.
- Barcelona intends to raise Raphinha’s salary moderately while keeping any increase within the club’s strict wage ceiling and is also advancing renewals for academy graduates Marc Bernal and Xavi Espart.
- Raphinha’s extraordinary start to the season — including consecutive hat-tricks and double-digit goals in the opening LaLiga matches while playing as a false nine — prompted the club to move quickly to secure its leading scorer and stabilize the attack after recent departures.