Barcelona have rewarded Raphinha for his outstanding start to the campaign with a contract extension until 2030, the Spanish champions announced. The Brazil international’s previous deal was due to expire in 2028, but Barça moved quickly to tie him down for an additional two years after his remarkable transition to a No.9. Raphinha, 29, has scored 19 goals in just 13 appearances across all competitions this year, including a brace in Tuesday’s 3‑0 UEFA Champions League win over Aston Villa. After failing to land Atlético Madrid striker Julián Álvarez, Barça turned to Raphinha to fill the void left by Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres.
Originally signed from Leeds United in 2022 as a right winger, his best form has come on the left flank under Hansi Flick, where he netted 34 goals in 57 games in 2024‑25 and another 21 in 33 matches last term. With no senior striker at the club in preseason, Flick deployed Raphinha centrally, flanked by Anthony Gordon and Lamine Yamal. His goals have powered Barça’s impressive 13‑win‑from‑15‑games start, ahead of Sunday’s top‑of‑the‑table clash away at Atlético Madrid.
Spain boss Luis de la Fuente is closely monitoring Lamine Yamal’s minutes, while Raphinha is set to be fit for the upcoming clashes with PSG and Real Madrid.
Source: ESPN Soccer · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing