In a recent report, Sport claimed that Aston Villa are facing tough competition for Barcelona winger Raphinha. It has been mentioned that the Villans would have to rival Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea and Newcastle United in the race to sign the Brazilian wide player this summer.
Raphinha’s Impressive Run Of Form In La Liga Last Season
The 27-year-old had a productive campaign at the Nou Camp as he put in a string of impressive performances for them out on the flanks. Raphinha registered ten goals and secured 13 assists in 37 matches for Barca last season in various competitions.
The Brazilian wing wizard was a consistent performer in the final third based on his average of 2.1 shots, 1.5 key passes and 0.9 dribbles per game in La Liga. He was even careful when distributing the ball in the opposition half after making 80.9% of his attempted passes in the Spanish first division (stats via whoscored).
His current contract at the Catalan club will expire in the summer of 2027 which could make it tough for the Villans to win the race for his services this off-season.
Aston Villa Are Facing Tough Competition For Raphinha: Is He Worth The Fight?
Raphinha is a good dribbler with the ball at his feet and can make a few dangerous runs with the ball out in the wide areas. He can shoot the ball with venom and accuracy from long range. The Brazilian winger has got the vision to orchestrate some inviting chances for his teammates in the final third. He mainly operates as a right-winger but can also function as a left-sided wide player if needed.
We can expect Raphinha to bring more firepower to Aston Villa boss Unai Emery’s defence. He would help the Villans challenge across all fronts in the coming seasons. The Brazilian sensation already knows the Premier League well from his time at Leeds United and shouldn’t take much time to settle into life at Villa Park if Aston Villa end up winning the race for his services this summer.
At 27, Raphinha is playing some of the best football of his career right now. Therefore, he would be well worth the fight, so the West Midlands outfit would be wise to step up their efforts to sign him later this year.
