Brazilian international winger Raphinha has definitively announced his decision to stay at Barcelona for the upcoming season, debunking all rumors linking him with a departure from the Catalan team this summer. Raphinha joined Barcelona during last summer’s transfer window from Leeds United for 70 million euros, but he did not perform as expected, leading to reports suggesting that president Joan Laporta wanted to sell him this summer to boost the club's finances.
However, Raphinha dismissed these rumors in an interview with "del Deportista," stating: "I will stay at Barcelona next season and the one after that; I have many years left on my contract, and I hope to continue until the end of this contract." He added: "I love Barcelona as a city, and any Brazilian feels immense happiness here." He continued: "The first six months with Barcelona were very difficult because I didn't score many goals or provide many assists, and I didn't have a direct role with the team, but then I began to adapt better, and now I look forward to the upcoming season with the primary goal of winning the Champions League."
Notably, the 26-year-old Raphinha managed to score 10 goals and provide 12 assists in 50 matches played with Barcelona across all competitions during the past season.
