Journalist Fabrizio Romano has revealed Chelsea were leading to race to sign Leeds United star Raphinha before the club were hit with crippling sanctions.
Romano revealed the news via his Twitter page, stating that Chelsea were leading the race for the Brazilian winger before the sanctions imposed on them as a consequence of being owned by Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich and the implications of his links with Vladimir Putin following the invasion of Ukraine.
Raphinha would be open to join Barcelona in the summer, positive talks between Deco and the club since March 9 – no discussions between clubs yet, as Barça will wait for Leeds situation to be clarified. ?? #FCB
Chelsea were leading the race for Raphinha before the sanctions.
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) March 23, 2022
Barcelona have since overtaken The Blues in their pursuit for the winger, and look poised to strike a deal with The Whites for the transfer of the 25-year-old to the Spotify Nou Camp to play under Xavi.
Raphinha is rated at £36m by transfermarkt and has been Leeds standout player this season with nine goals and three assists in 27 league games, often being the one player able to threaten a goal in many games as the club have waded through a horrific injury crisis throughout the season.
Chelsea would have certainly liked to add a player of his calibre to their ranks, with a number of the current attacking options at the club flattering to deceive this season despite Chelsea’s performance in the league and cups.
The likes of Romelu Lukaku have proven to be incompatible with the way Thomas Tuchel wants his side to play, while others such as Christian Pulisic and Timo Werner have been far too inconsistent to be relied upon on a regular basis.