'This one could happen' - Journo claims Leeds could let 'amazing' talent leave on one condition

Leeds United star Raphinha will likely join Barcelona if they submit an offer of between £50m and £60m for him, sports journalist Pete O’Rourke has told GiveMeSport.

Sky Sports reported last week that the La Liga giants hold an interest in the 25-year-old and are expected to formalise that with an offer. A source told the outlet that the Brazilian ‘would like to join’ Barcelona as he looks to fulfil his ambitions of playing at the ‘highest level’.

Had Leeds been relegated, interested parties would then have been able to pounce on a release clause in the region of £30m in the player’s contract.

However, Raphinha scored from the penalty spot on the final day of the season as Leeds beat Brentford to secure Premier League survival.

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O’Rourke is confident that Raphinha will move to the Nou Camp, but only if Leeds receive what would be a club-record fee for an outgoing transfer.

For now, Rio Ferdinand’s £41.4m departure to Manchester United in 2002 remains the most lucrative sale in the Yorkshire club’s history.

Speaking about the Brazilian potentially swapping Elland Road for Catalunya, O’Rourke told GiveMeSport: “I think this one could happen, especially if Barcelona do meet Leeds’ asking price. If they get close to £50million or £60million, I would fully expect this deal to happen.”

Raphinha joined Leeds in October 2020 for a fee of £17m, meaning they could be about to turn a £43m profit after just two years.

The £63,000-per-week winger has made a key contribution since he moved to Yorkshire, scoring 17 goals and providing 12 assists in 67 appearances (11 and three last season).

According to Transfermarkt, he has reached exactly 100 goals and assists in his career,