Aston Villa chief Monchi has reportedly been watching Barcelona winger Raphinha in action and is preparing a big offer for the Brazil international this summer.
Raphinha has not quite been at his best during his time at Barca, leading to some speculation he could be sold after just two years at the Nou Camp.
Earlier today, Arsenal and Chelsea were linked with the 27-year-old, though it remains to be seen if they’ll be prepared to pay up for the player after his considerable dip in form since his previous spell in the Premier League with Leeds United.
Villa, by contrast, may see this as the kind of deal that could really help them kick on from this hugely promising season under Unai Emery, so the below reports perhaps make more sense…
Monchi attended FC Barcelona vs Valencia last night and is said to be interested in Raphinha and is willing to offer €55m ??
?? – [@sercosfut & @javitarre] #avfc pic.twitter.com/QVjmdOgQH5
— Total Villa (@Total_Villa) April 30, 2024
It seems Monchi is a big fan of Raphinha, and this would certainly have to go down as a major statement by Villa if they could pull it off, whereas clubs like Arsenal and Chelsea might have different ideas.
Raphinha transfer could be a big statement for Aston Villa
Emery has worked wonders with this current squad at Villa Park, but there’s surely room to, at the very least, add some depth to the side as they possibly prepare to compete in the Champions League next season.
Villa are currently in fourth place in the Premier League table, though Tottenham aren’t too far behind and have two games in hand, meaning it’s all to play for in this exciting end to the season in the English top flight.
It remains to be seen if Raphinha would be open to joining a club without Champions League football, so these final few fixtures of Villa’s season could end up being crucial before we know a bit more about what they can do in the transfer market.