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Arsenal held talks to sign Barcelona forward Raphinha

By on September 24, 2026

Raphinha Ferran Torres Barcelona

Arsenal reportedly made contact to sign FC Barcelona forward Raphinha this year, as per TEAMtalk.

Since moving to Camp Nou from Leeds United back in 2022, the 29-year-old has enjoyed great success, winning three La Liga titles and several domestic cup competitions.

He displayed impressive performances during the 2024/25 campaign, scoring 34 goals and registering 22 assists in 57 appearances across all competitions.

However, he failed to replicate that last term due to fitness problems. But Raphinha has enjoyed a stellar start this season, making 17 goal contributions in just eight appearances in all tournaments.

The forward even scored hat-tricks against Racing Santander and Sevilla in the last two games before the international break. He has been helping his side mount a title charge once again this season, sitting five points ahead of second-placed Atlético Madrid.

Having proven his worth in club football, the former Stade Rennais star has secured his place in the Brazilian national team’s starting line-up.

Now, TEAMtalk claim that Arsenal hold a long-standing interest in Raphinha as they initially attempted to purchase him before his move to Barcelona. Despite failing to seal the deal previously, they made contact to learn about the details of signing him this year.

Raphinha to Arsenal

Apart from the Gunners, Chelsea, Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur made contact over this deal. Spurs even showed the strongest interest in finalising the operation.

However, Raphinha is happy at Barcelona, and Hansi Flick made it clear that he doesn’t want to lose his star player. The Brazilian has even agreed to sign a four-year contract at Camp Nou.

Raphinha is a left-footed versatile forward as he is comfortable playing anywhere across the frontline. He is one of the best forwards in the world and is currently at the prime stage of his career.

Therefore, Raphinha, valued at around £60m by Transfermarkt, would have been a shrewd acquisition for Arsenal had they managed to secure his services.

Meanwhile, despite selling Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard this summer, Arsenal only signed Christos Tzolis from Club Brugge. So, Mikel Arteta has used Eberechi Eze on the left flank to support the Greek.