An information that was obtained from The Athletic suggests that Newcastle United has made contact with Raphinha, a striker for Barcelona, in order to arrange a transfer transaction that will take place in January of this year.

In addition, The Athletic disclosed that Newcastle attempted to persuade Raphinha to join the squad during the summer transfer window of 2023, but it was too late for them to do so. When that time came, the Brazilian superstar was adamant about remaining in Barcelona so that he could demonstrate his worth. 

However, since the beginning of this season, the striker, who is 27 years old, has not been successful at Blaugrana. It is said that the Catalan club will attempt to sell him in the forthcoming transfer markets in order to bring their finances into balance. 

Therefore, in order to make the most of the chance that has presented itself, Newcastle has resumed negotiations with the agents of players who were born in 1996. This is because Raphinha’s future at Camp Nou is not certain.

On the other hand, a source from The Athletic stated that it will be challenging for Chich Choe to acquire the former Leeds United player during this winter transfer window due to issues that are associated with the Financial Fairness (FFP) law that is enforced by UEFA. Putting forth a loan agreement with Barca that includes the possibility of acquiring Raphinha on a permanent basis at the conclusion of the current season is the most likely course of action for Newcastle.  

Not only is Newcastle interested in the Brazilian star at the moment, but British media outlets have stated in recent days that Manchester United is also prepared to spend a significant amount of money in order to acquire Raphinha in the near future, provided that Barcelona gives the go-ahead for the transfer.