Barcelona disagree with Raphinha transfer comments - huge boost for Man Utd

Manchester United could be in luck. One of their transfer targets, Barcelona's Raphinha, could be put up for sale in the January transfer window - despite his public desire to stay with them. Raphinha has previously made it clear that he wants to remain with his current club for 'many years' - but the Catalonian giants do not share this view. According to a report from Sport [via AS], Barcelona will 'welcome' a bid for the player - assuming it meets their valuation of him, the amount of which has not been specified as of yet.

The Brazilian international's performances are reportedly 'far below what was expected of him' - leading the La Liga champions to put him up for sale. Additionally, they have also said that he is 'not managing to convince' the club to allow him to stay for much longer.

How would Manchester United benefit from signing Raphinha?

Raphinha has already proven that he has what it takes to be a success in the Premier League, stemming from his fruitful stint at Leeds United - the club Barcelona signed him from for a fee of £55 million. It is unlikely that Barcelona will command a fee of this calibre to allow him to leave, but it is likely to be nonetheless high. Currently, he is valued at £51 million on Transfermarkt.

While he has not set the world alight at the Nou Camp, his efforts in England's top division should not be forgotten. He made 65 Premier League appearances for Leeds, scoring 17 goals from the wings. In comparison, for Barcelona, he has scored just 9 goals in 46 La Liga games. This season, he has two goals and six assists to his name - a respectable tally, but not enough to convince Barcelona that he is worth keeping on their books.