“It’s still open on player side” - Fabrizio Romano claims Barcelona are still in contention to sign Raphinha despite Chelsea agreement

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has claimed Barcelona haven't given up hope on signing Leeds United forward Raphinha, despite Chelsea having already agreed a deal with the Yorkshire club.

Ben Jacobs of CBS Sports had previously reported that the Blues have agreed a fee with Leeds and have offered the Brazilian international a five-year-deal. They are hoping to finalize it within 48 hours to prevent other suitors from hijacking the deal.

Raphinha has been heavily linked with a move to Barcelona throughout the summer. However, due to the Blaugrana's desperate financial situation, it appears unlikely they will be able to afford the highly-rated winger.

However, Romano has claimed that the Catalonian giants have contacted Leeds to submit a new bid for the 25-year-old. Barcelona had talks with his agent and former Barca player Deco before submitting the bid.

The Spanish side's proposal reportedly, however, still does not fulfill the Premier League outfit's demands. They are insistent that they will honor the agreement already in place with Chelsea.

The Italian journalist also reported that the player is yet to make up his mind on where his next destination will be. He will perhaps be mindful of the upcoming Qatar World Cup later this year as he chooses between Barcelona and the Blues.

Raphinha played a crucial role in guiding Leeds to Premier League safety on the final day of the previous campaign. He scored 11 goals and provided three assists in 35 appearances.

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Pundit questions if Barcelona target can be consistent enough to play for Chelsea

Since signing from Stade Rennais two years ago, Raphinha has become one of the best players in the Premier League outside of the established top six. His skill, dribbling ability and pace make him an incredibly exciting prospect who will surely be hoping to play in the Champions League very soon.

Despite his undoubted ability, former Liverpool defender Steve Nicol believes that the west London club are taking a risk by signing the tricky winger. He told ESPN (as quoted by The Chelsea Chronicle):

“The only worry with Raphinha is not his ability, because he’s got pace, he loves going past people, he loves running at defenders, he loves going forward… He’s an exciting guy to watch."

He added:

“Inconsistency, that’s the question mark about this guy. It’s one thing to play for a Leeds United side, particularly under [Marcelo] Bielsa, where going forward it was like a cavalry charge. There is going to have to be a lot more control [playing for Chelsea]. Talented, 100 per cent. Consistent, big question mark.”