On February 26, 2022, at Elland Road in Leeds, northern England, during the English Premier League football game between Leeds United and Tottenham Hotspur, Leeds United’s Brazilian midfielder Raphinha Dias Belloli moves off to take a set-piece. – LIMITED TO EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or ‘live’ services. 120 photos can only be used online during matches. 40 more pictures could be used if there’s more time. no simulation of video. 120 photos can only be used on social media during a match. 40 more pictures could be used if there’s more time. No use for games, publications that focus on a specific club, league, or player. (AFP/Jon Super/Photo) RESERVED FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or ‘live’ services. 120 photos can only be used online during matches. 40 more pictures could be used if there’s more time. No video emulation. 120 photos can only be used on social media during a match. 40 more pictures could be used if there’s more time. No use for games, publications that focus on a specific club, league, or player. RESERVED FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or ‘live’ services. 120 photos can only be used online during matches. 40 more pictures could be used if there’s more time. no simulation of video. 120 photos can only be used on social media during a match. 40 more pictures could be used if there’s more time. No use for games, publications that focus on a specific club, league, or player. (Photo by JON SUPER/AFP via Getty Images )
Arsenal has submitted a formal offer to Leeds United for star winger Raphinha as the club looks to strengthen ahead of the new league season.
Arsenal’s hunt for a new wide player has taken them to Leeds. Brazilian winger Raphinha has emerged as a genuine target for the north London club over the last week. The player himself was said to be ‘fed up’ with waiting for Barcelona due to the Spanish giants’ financial troubles.
According to David Ornstein of The Athletic, Arsenal has submitted a formal bid for the Brazilian’s talents, but it is reportedly set to be rejected as it was far from the club’s evaluation of the player.
With Arsenal back in Europe next season (not the competition we were ultimately after), the need to have better squad depth than last season is paramount. Especially given the extremely condensed schedule the club will face due to the World Cup being played this year.
🚨 EXCL: Arsenal have this evening submitted a formal offer to Leeds for Raphinha. #AFC contacted #LUFC earlier to indicate intention to make bid & that has now landed. Falls well short of #LUFC valuation, expected to be rejected out of hand @TheAthleticUK https://t.co/KUnHHNtFMe — David Ornstein (@David_Ornstein) June 21, 2022
Bukayo Saka played all 38 Premier League games last season as Arsenal and Arteta did not have enough quality to rotate the squad, part of that was by design, however. Several players were shipped out to trim the club’s astronomical wage budget, but it left them short of players for the back half of the season. Something that proved costly.
With Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, Emile Smith Rowe, and Nicolas Pepe (for how long we don’t know) currently occupying the wide areas. Now accompanied by Fabio Vieira, who is more of a central player than a winger, the need for depth is crucial.
[email protected]_Ornstein on Raphinha: “I don’t think the signing is close to happening, but the interest in him is clear & firm. Mikel Arteta & a number of others at Arsenal really, really like Raphinha. Their admiration is not particularly fresh, it goes back a little way.” [@FIVEUK] pic.twitter.com/wP4yKjZHDX — afcstuff (@afcstuff) June 21, 2022
Adding a player with Raphinha’s quality would raise the bar for the first team but also the squad. With teams now allowed to use five substitutions this upcoming season, having several choices of players to bring on would no doubt help Arsenal.
Having the likes of Raphinha, Smith Rowe, Vieira, and Pepe, if he is still at the club, to come on and change the game would be a superb option to have for Mikel Arteta.
With Barcelona and Chelsea thought to be the player’s preferred preference per The Athletic, Arsenal may have to pay overs in order to secure the services of the Brazilian. A fantastic signing he would be to the Arsenal attack, but we get a sense that this particular deal has a long way to go before being completed.
At least the club has put in a formal offer; it shows that they finally mean business this summer.
