Barcelona star admits he considered leaving club: "It was quite difficult"

Moving to the Spanish giants from Leeds United in 2022, for a fee of £50m, Raphina is now one of the first names on Barcelona’s team sheet, forming a formidable partnership up front with the likes of Robert Lewandowski and 2024 Euros winner Lemine Yamal.

But the Brazilian winger initially struggled to adapt to life in Spain, and has now told RAC1 that he even considered making an early exit from one of the world’s greatest teams.

Today, the opposite is true; Raphina has committed his future to Barcelona, with a contract that runs until 2027. He is determined to see this out, despite lucrative offers from the likes of Saudi Arabia coming his way.

He said: “Did I consider leaving? Yes - the first six months were complicated for me and my family. After the World Cup I improved and I was able to finish the season well. I was calmer, but at the beginning it was quite difficult.

“My adaptation was difficult for me. I knew what I had to do, but not that it would be so difficult on a personal level. I once thought about leaving. Barca is a giant club and it's normal that it's difficult. I wasn't used to this, but it happened quickly.

“It is annoying to see rumors of departure, it is normal. Every day there is a different piece of news and this ends up being annoying. My head has always been here. Every season I think about doing better than the previous one and showing that I'm capable of being here for many years. I've received a lot of offers, but the best one for me is to be at Barca.”