Arsenal has been handed a boost in their bid to sign Raphinha after Leeds United identified a replacement for the Brazilian.
The Gunners are not the only club looking to add Raphinha to their squad, with the attacker also attracting the attention of Barcelona and Tottenham.
However, Mikel Arteta’s side could win the race for his signature if they meet Leeds’ asking price.
The Whites are now preparing for life without their star man, and The Athletic says they will replace him with Club Brugge’s Charles de Ketelaere.
The 21-year-old has been in fine form in recent seasons, and he competed against Manchester City in the Champions League last season.
Leeds believes he will bring the attacking output they will miss if Raphinha leaves the club.
Just Arsenal Opinion
Raphinha has been a key player for the Whites, and he has to be replaced if they are interested in selling him.
That makes their interest in De Ketelaere a very clear sign that he will leave if we meet their asking price.
Considering the category of clubs looking to sign him, Raphinha would be a top addition to our squad in this transfer window.
Hopefully, we can raise the cash required to make Leeds sit at the table to negotiate his move to the Emirates.
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The Transfer Show – Is Raphinha on the verge of joining Arteta’s project?
I can’t wait to see my team playing champions league next campaign
why don’t we just go after the player they want then use it as leverage to lower his artificially propped-up fee??
That’s because he’s the one we want.
LOL…strangely you didn’t quite grasp my point
Oh! I now get it.That’s gonna take time rivals might snap him up plus they are not under pressure to sell so they won’t lower their asking price.
@TRVL4e
Nice one…👍🏾
I still have doubts about our financial ability to get Raphinha over the line He wants BARCA as is well known and where there is a will, usually there is a way.
While we urgently need a powerful, pacy and strong QUALITY central striker AND(after MORE than a DECADE) A PROPER AND EFFECTIVE DCM, to pay what seems to be far too much for RAPHINHA , seems to me to be a poor use of REAL money, even though he IS a top player.
@jon fox,we already signed jesus and personal terms agreed with raphinha’s agent deco.it’s happening.
My worry is that will Rap be motivated to play for us or will it end up with tantrums and an hurt ego due to the failed Barca move? Should we suffer if he becomes erratic? We have seen this in the past with Fabregas . Considering we have a manager with a winner’s mindset, anything less than 110% on the pitch will not be tolerated. I feel we should pass this one but I leave it to the experts and pros (Mikel&Edu), would be glad if he came, would not regret if he didn’t.
If it’s taken MA nearly three seasons to realise that we need A “proper and effective DCM” why on earth hasn’t he done something about it?
The answer to my rhetorical question is simple – he believes Xhaka is the answer and that’s why he got the player to sign a new contract.
Whether one agrees with that decision, is an individual choice, but that’s why, in my opinion, we’ve been concentrating on a goalscorer, goalkeeper, attacking midfielder, left sided defensive player and winger these last few months…. as Edu said “we have identified the players who we want.”
Ken the only way we are getting Raphina, is if we are selling Saka. A front 3 of Saka, Raphina and Jesus is a front three of wingers. Saka hasn’t sorted his contract out and it is very quiet on that front. There is no way we can let our prized asset run his contract down. We are either looking to life without him, or not getting Raphina.
@Reggie
Seems like you nailed it. I give up on trying to figure out the whole circus…
NY, sell saka to fund Raphina and Osimhen and it makes sense but buying the two wingers to play with Saka is plain odd.
@Reggie
Like I said, I gave up on trying to figure out what this dude is trying to do. I just hope it all works out somehow…
I suggest for Mikel & Edu to bring in Rodrigo (19) from Leeds if we fail to bring in Raphinha.
I find this transfer strange as I did with the Vieria one and reupping Eddie,overloading our attcking options with the same small players that our team is already filled with .
What happens to the likes of Martinelli and ESR if all these targets are bought in.
9players if no one is moved on to fill 4-5 places ,telling that the top 2 teams in the prem have both gone with the old school traditional number nines and we look to be using a tactic that 2014 would be proud of , that’s the difference of having a manager that looks ahead compared to one that copy’s what’s been used in the past .
Time will tell but no matter who we bring in I expect the same old scrambling for top 4 .
Let’s hope I’m proved wrong .
@Dan Kit
RealTalk…
Honestly not convinced Arteta is under pressure to achieve a top 4 finish.
He was extended 3 years, so top 6 and Europa I believe is a lock to keep his job.
I think the top 4 many mocked (myself included) is not an expectation like it used to be.
This should be an exciting season, looking to see if we play direct attacking creative football, or just shuffling deck chairs on the titanic; still Artetaball just a new influx of players.
Our finish to end the upcoming season will show ambition more than words and speeches. Top 4 or sacked, or top 6 is our new top 4?
Saka isn’t an issue for Raphina but Pepe. We definitely needs Raphina but we must do away wit Pepe. Beside, theres nothing wit our CDM, you ALREADY have Thomas, Eleny and Xaka. Who else do you intend to add?
Let’s give them a chance
Having Raphinha is not too much, that what big clubs do, Jesus and Raphinha are two of the best pressers of the ball
Some time the best kind of defense is attack and attack.
It always take a little time for armchair managers to see the big picture.
We will be using a rotational system saka was about or look like he hit a wall ESR did hit the wall Martinelli looked spent, we have more games this season with Europa league so it makes sense to cover all bases as the players cannot play all games in the Prem FA Cup and the carabao too then there is the world Cup mid season. In my opinion he’s making the right choices.
We are trying the Man City system of having two super Stars in every position where by no player is exorsted or over used and we don’t have to be affected in case of injury to some players since this also costed us allot. So they are trying to avoid many things and correcting others also.
Have you guys forgotten that next season we are having 5 substitution and don’t forget folks we are now in Europe so we need squad dept to avoid tired legs and injuries.
It’s all about squad depth but with quality signings don’t understand how some fans cannot see that considering we’re in Europe next season SMH
Some of you Arsenal fans are something else… you worry about Rowe and Saka and the likes as we get more quality?…. so we shouldn’t because it will affect them?
yet you’d say the club, Arteta etc lacks ambition?
i don’t get some of ya at all.
who cares we want a competitive team and that is made up of quality players everywhere on the filed and on the bench.