Manchester United are planning an unexpected swap deal to acquire Brazilian international Raphinha from Barcelona. Previously, reports from Spain suggested that Barcelona were willing to offer the £68 million-rated player plus cash to secure the transfer of Mainoo from United.
More recently, it has been suggested that Manchester United are prepared to trade Jadon Sancho for Raphinha in the upcoming summer transfer window. Sancho, who was loaned to Borussia Dortmund mid-season due to a breakdown in his relationship with manager Erik ten Hag, might not have a future at Old Trafford, especially with Ten Hag set to remain as manager. Sancho was instrumental in helping Dortmund reach the UEFA Champions League final during his loan spell.
Catalan source Nacional reports that Dortmund are interested in permanently signing the 24-year-old Sancho but cannot afford the £40 million valuation. Consequently, Manchester United have proposed exchanging Sancho for Raphinha, a player Barcelona are keen to offload.
Raphinha, 27, played a crucial role in Barcelona’s 2022-23 La Liga title-winning campaign. However, the rise of Lamine Yamal on the right wing has limited Raphinha’s starting opportunities, with only 17 league starts last season. Despite this, he still contributed to over 20 goals across all competitions for Xavi’s team. Raphinha’s skills could significantly strengthen Manchester United’s right-wing position, addressing one of their weaker spots.
