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Published: March 25, 2022 7:39 pm
Last Updated: March 25, 2022 8:03 pm
The efforts of Spanish giants Barcelona to lure Raphinha to the club from Leeds United could yet benefit another of the Premier League’s clubs, according to reports.
Speculation surrounding a potential Camp Nou switch for wide-man Raphinha has of course begun to ramp up over recent weeks.
This comes with the Brazilian understood to have been identified as the ideal addition to his attacking ranks by Blaugrana boss Xavi Hernandez, amid the Spaniard’s ongoing revolution in the Catalan capital.
Reports across the day to date have gone as far as to suggest that negotiations are in fact already well underway between club and player, ahead of an increasingly likely joining of forces ahead of next season.
Barcelona are in well advanced talks with Deco for Raphinha as summer target since one month, but the official negotiation with Leeds won’t start now – it will take some time. 🇧🇷 #FCB
Ajax winger Antony is highly rated but considered too expensive at current conditions. pic.twitter.com/sZPjrCD25O
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) March 25, 2022
Spurs to benefit?
So, what would a Barcelona switch coming to fruition for Raphinha mean for the rest of the club’s current attacking options?
Well, on the right flank specifically, where the Brazilian would be expected to secure an immediate starting berth upon arrival, the two leading options currently at the disposal of Xavi come in the form of Ousmane Dembele and Adama Traore.
The former, of course, is at present in line to depart, ahead of the expiration of his contract come the season’s end.
What of Traore, though?
The Spanish international only reunited with Barcelona, with whom he developed as an academy talent, this past January, on loan from Premier League outfit Wolverhampton Wanderers.
BARCELONA, SPAIN – FEBRUARY 02: New Barcelona signing Adama Traore looks on during his presentation as a FC Barcelona player at Camp Nou on February 02, 2022 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Pedro Salado/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)
And, for the most part, Traore has since enjoyed a fruitful spell, racking up four assists across ten appearances between La Liga and the Europa League.
Should the transfer chiefs at the Camp Nou sanction a big-money swoop for Raphinha, however, it could well come at the expense of Traore, who would be unlikely to see his arrival made permanent.
And, if such a scenario does indeed go on to play out, then another club appear primed to pounce.
As per a report from football.london, should Traore be forced to return to England with Wolves come the summer, then Tottenham look likely to reignite their pursuit of the explosive winger.
The Lilywhites of course pushed hard for his signature in January, only to see their efforts come up short in the face of competition from Barca.
With Antonio Conte remaining keen on his services, though, a move to north London could yet come to fruition for the 26-year-old ahead of the 2022/23 campaign, where Traore would be expected to feature as a right wing-back in Spurs’ 3-5-2 formation.
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