Deal close: Agreement now in place for £63m talent, Leeds supporters will be gutted - opinion

Leeds United have been dealt a huge blow in their bid to keep Raphinha at Elland Road beyond the summer transfer window.

That’s according to a report by Spanish publication Sport (via Sport Witness), who claim that Barcelona have already agreed terms with the 25-year-old ahead of a summer move, with the outlet suggesting that the Brazilian’s switch to the Camp Nou is now very close.

However, the report does go on to state that the Catalan side are yet to come to an agreement with Victor Orta and Leeds regarding the sale of the winger, with it being said that Barca face a far more difficult challenge in agreeing terms with the Premier League outfit.

While it is undeniable that Leeds receiving a £63m fee for a player they signed for £17m a little under two years ago would represent fantastic business by Orta, considering his importance within the Whites first-team, the news that a deal is close for Raphinha’s transfer this summer is nevertheless sure to leave the Elland Road faithful gutted.

Indeed, over his 30 Premier League appearances last season, the £40.5m-rated forward was in breathtaking form, scoring six goals, providing nine assists and creating 12 big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 2.2 shots, making 2.1 key passes and completing 1.9 dribbles per game.

These returns saw the 25-year-old earn an extremely impressive seasonal SofaScore match rating of 7.14, ranking him as his club’s third-best performer in the top flight.

This is form the Brazil international has continued over his 30 Premier League outings this term, with the £63k-per-week sensation bagging ten goals, registering three assists and creating nine big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 2.6 shots,