Music to Barça fans' ears! Raphinha reveals where he wants to finish his career
Barcelona supporters have received the news they were dreaming of. Raphinha, the team's in-form leader, has publicly declared his loyalty to the Catalan club and his desire to stay forever.
Details: According to The Touchline, the Brazilian winger stated: "I want to renew my contract and end my career at Barcelona." The 29-year-old's current deal runs until June 30, 2028, after he signed an extension in May 2025.
Raphinha's declaration comes at the peak of his powers: on Wednesday, he scored a hat-trick, including two penalties, in Barcelona's 7-2 demolition of Racing Santander, taking his tally to 11 goals in all competitions this season, with nine of them coming in just six La Liga rounds. He became the first Barcelona player since Lionel Messi in the 2017/18 season to score nine times in his first six league appearances, and earlier in the campaign he also broke another Messi record by finding the net in each of the opening five games. The timing of his words is no coincidence either: sporting director Deco recently opened talks with the Brazilian's camp over yet another renewal, so a fresh contract looks like a matter of time. Raphinha joined Barcelona from Leeds United in the summer of 2022 and has since transformed from a questioned signing into the heartbeat of Hansi Flick's side, recording 34 goals and 25 assists last season. For a club that once feared losing him to Saudi Arabia's millions, hearing their captain figure speak about retiring at Camp Nou is the best possible gift ahead of Sunday's trip to Sevilla.
It's worth noting that if Raphinha fulfills his plan, he would follow the path of Barça legends like Carles Puyol and Xavi, who spent virtually their entire careers at one club.
Reminder: It's only mid-September! Raphinha's hat-trick madness takes him to 11 goals already
Miguel Solomons
Dailysports's expert
