As per one of the latest reports, Arsenal are in the race to lure Barcelona midfielder, Rafinha, to the Emirates Stadium in the ongoing transfer window. Apart from the Premier League outfit, the likes of Inter Milan and Celta Vigo are also very much in the contention to make him sign on the dotted line. Impliedly, there is expected to be some competition for Arsene Wenger’s side.
Rafinha has been really struggling to make his presence felt at Barcelona and following his return from his long-term meniscus injury, he has fallen out of favour of Ernesto Valverde’s tactical nous. He has been told that he is out of contention and the recent ground-shattering addition of Philippe Coutinho from Liverpool has further dampened his stature at the club.
He is keen to embrace more first-team opportunities and spend more time on the pitch and with the World Cup coming up, he certainly has to up the ante in order to get into the Brazilian squad. Given the current scenario, he would undoubtedly be keen to look for an exit for his own benefit. Thus, his exit from Nou Camp seems to be imminent at this stroke of hour.
Rafinha emerged through the youth ranks of Barca and having showcased his calibre with Barcelona B, he was eventually promoted to Barcelona’s top division side in La Liga. His career with his boyhood club has been a blend of hot and cold moments but it is now at a point where the lack of resurrection would eventually render him being stagnated and in the doldrums.
The 24-year-old was sidelined for eight months and due to his lack of appearances in the first-team setup due to the same, Barcelona are ready to offload him for €18million, as per one of the reports. The asking price is certainly not something which will stop the likes of Arsenal from making a move and with the need to spice up the squad and especially the midfield, this is a player who can certainly cater to the club’s requirement.
The red half of North London has been really sluggish and have to fare much better in the coming months. Apart from the Premier League, they have League Cup and Europa League commitments to meet as well and they certainly need to bring reinforcements. Moreover, the likes of Mesut Ozil and Aaron Ramsey are out due to injury, which makes additions all the more logical.
