Manchester United were prepared to launch an ambitious raid for Raphinha this summer if the club had qualified the Champions League, according to a South American journalist.
As relayed by Football 365, Miguel Angel Lopez reveals the Red Devils were “ready to push to sign Raphinha from Barcelona this summer” after the best season of the Brazilian’s career, putting him in contention for the Ballon d’Or.
“Ruben Amorim is a massive fan of Raphinha. Manchester United failing to qualify for the UCL negatively affected their budget and also ruined any chance of signing the Brazilian,” the reporter states.
United had retained hope of playing in next season’s Champions League, despite the club’s worst domestic campaign in the Premier League era, by reaching the final of the Europa League.
Amorim’s side faced off against Tottenham Hotspur in Bilbao with the victor from the all-English spectacle gaining automatic qualification into the Champions League for the 2025/26 campaign.
But a dismal match, played out by two poor teams with neither deserving to win, swung in Ange Postecoglou and his men’s favour thanks to a lucky deflected goal by Brennan Johnson.
The defeat confirmed there would no European football next season at Old Trafford after United finished 15th in the league. This incurred a significant financial hit for the club, as well as removing competing in Europe as a negotiating gambit in approaches for new signings.
And it was this effect, Lopez contends, which ended United’s plan to target Raphinha before it had even got off the ground.
Over the past week, reports from Spain had contended the Reds retained interest in the Brazil international. One even went as far to suggest United had launched a club-record bid to sign the 28-year-old winger.
But recent developments in Catalonia are said to have angered Raphinha with Barcelona prioritising a blockbuster move for Athletic club talisman, Nico Williams.
The 22-year-old winger, who won the European Championship with Spain last summer along with Lamine Yamal, has been a long-standing target at Camp Nou.
But he operates in the same position as Raphinha and the Brazilian is reported to have “expressed his displeasure” at potential competition for his starting berth, the report relayed by Football 365 claims.
“According to sources close to the club , Raphinha has expressed his displeasure to the club’s management. Although he hasn’t submitted a formal request to leave, he has made it clear that if he loses prominence in the coming months, he will seriously consider his future. The situation has generated tension within the Barcelona team.”
If Raphinha follows through on his words with intent to force an exit, United are likely to be right at the front of the queue for the Ballon d’Or contender. Whether he would consider a move to Old Trafford without Champions League football is another question entirely, however.
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Darragh Fox
Darragh is a writer for The Peoples Person who spent three years as a history graduate slowly realising football was by far the most interesting thing to write about.
