Barcelona ace now looking like “the one that got away” for Arsenal after an impressive start to the season.
A lot is going on at our own club for us to be talking about players from other clubs however the form of a particular player in Spain has piqued my interest which led to an urge of writing an article about him, this player being none other than Barcelona’s in form winger, Raphinha.
With the performances he’s putting in currently, you can’t help but feel that he’s a one that got away from us due to how far back we’ve been linked to the Brazilian. The Gunners had an interest in him prior to his switch to the Camp Nou when he was still plying his trade in England with Leeds United, but a move never materialized. Such was the intensity of our reported interest in the player that we were yet again linked with a move for him six months into his Barca career after a tough start to life in Spain.
He has absolutely put those struggles behind him this season however, with the Brazilian being in the form of his life currently. He scored an impressive hat-trick in his club’s recent win against Bayern Munich which brought his tally of goals and assists this season to 15 (9 goals and 6 assists) in all competitions. That’s impressive to say the least considering he was a player who struggled throughout his stay at Barca prior to this season.
Looking at our problems with injuries, Saka’s especially has left us short of suitable options to call upon in his stead. Considering he’s shining even on the left wing this season then he would’ve been a very useful asset in the squad.
There were reports in recent months that he rejected a move to the Gunners, opting to stay at Barcelona instead so you cannot blame the club for not bringing him in when he was available. The form he’s in at the moment makes me feel that he was the one that got away for Arsenal!
Would you all have loved having Raphinha and Bukayo Saka in the same squad?
KENNETH BENJAMIN
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He never wanted to come to Arsenal, so you cant say “got away”. Again quite not a guarantee things could have turned better in an Arsenal shirt!
He was determined to go to Barca.
There was an opportunity since he was with the Catalán Giants where we could have grab him up, not sure why the gaffer didn’t follow through.
Raphinna would fit in Arsenal set up like a glove, maybe the Nwaneri kid just needs a chance to replicate the former leads man performance
it’s a moot as he refused Arsenal, like saying Zudimendi or Haaland are ‘the one that got away’
he is having a purple patch right now but has been largely awful since leaving Leeds however many years ago, no doubt JA would have ripped him to pieces as another poor transfer for the last 2 years if he decided to come to Arsenal if Arsenal were actual in for him in the first place, two big ‘ifs’ that at the end of the day are irrelevant
I agree. His previous poor form since joining Barcelona from Leeds in summer 2022 until this season is largely down to the (then) coach Xavi who enjoyed early success, but things really fell apart last season.
What we’re seeing now from Raphinha, under the new coach, is closer to the form that Barcelona bought him for in the first place.
What a rediculous article. He was not interested.
Correct. My Spanish friends tell me that Raphinha was never interested in leaving Barcelona for Arsenal or any other club.
In fact, Barcelona did what they could last season to get him off their books (along with a few other players) in order to cut their wage bill as they had, and still have, trouble with FFP rules. He wouldn’t leave.
Given his form now under new coach Hansi Flick – replicated across the whole Barcelona team by the way they’re playing – there’s very little likelihood he’ll want to go anywhere.