Overview
- Barcelona confirmed on Thursday that captain Raphinha formally signed a new deal running until June 2030 in a ceremony attended by president Joan Laporta.
- Sporting director Deco and Raphinha had agreed terms weeks earlier, and club sources say the paperwork was finished long before the public signing with only scheduling delays left to resolve.
- The renewal follows Raphinha’s two-goal display against Aston Villa in the Champions League on Tuesday and a season total of 19 goals that underlined his current form.
- Hansi Flick has shifted Raphinha into a more central attacking role this season, a change that produced the high goal return and convinced Barcelona to prioritise keeping him.
- If Raphinha completes the contract he will spend eight seasons at the club, a run that would place him among Barcelona’s longest-serving Brazilian players and reduce immediate transfer speculation.