During the 2022 summer transfer window, FC Barcelona made a big move by acquiring Brazilian winger Raphinha from Leeds United for 58 million euros. However, this transfer would probably not have been possible without the financial sacrifice made by Deco, the club’s current sporting director.
Indeed, Deco revealed in a recent interview that he gave up receiving his usual fees when negotiating Raphinha’s transfer. FC Barcelona had the firm desire to recruit the Brazilian player, but could not financially match Chelsea’s offer. It was then that Deco decided to make an effort to allow the player to realize his dream of joining the Catalan club.
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Raphinha’s desire and Deco’s sacrifice
According to him, Raphinha had expressed his desire to wear the Blaugrana jersey. Unable to meet Leeds’ financial demands, Barça was counting on Deco’s goodwill to finalize the deal. The former Portuguese midfielder therefore did not hesitate to waive the commission that he would normally have received as a transfer intermediary.
🎙️| Deco told @FourFourTwo earlier this month on Raphinha’s transfer to Barça back in 2022.
🗣️ “Raphinha’s release clause would have dropped to €20m if Leeds were relegated and he was the best player when Leeds needed him most – he ran the most, worked the hardest, and I, as… pic.twitter.com/fi9qs3YSOv
— Barça Buzz (@Barca_Buzz) February 27, 2024
Thanks to this financial sacrifice estimated at several million euros, Deco allowed FC Barcelona, in a delicate financial period, to secure the services of Raphinha. This is a commendable effort which made possible the signing of the player so desired by the club and its supporters.
