Arsenal are plotting a summer move for an interesting talent
At the moment, neither Barcelona or Arsenal are entirely sure who their manager will be next season. Evidently that isn’t enough to put the Gunners off plotting a summer move for one of Barca’s most intriguing young talents.
Reports from Spain claim that Arsenal are one of several clubs considering a summer bid for Rafinha. The talented Brazilian considered leaving Barcelona last season, but assurances from Luis Enrique caused him to stay. Now that Enrique is leaving, many believe he’ll look to leave the club as well.
When he’s gotten the chance to play this season, he’s been very productive. He’s scored six goals in just 16 league appearances. His Whoscored.com player rating average of 7.24 indicate he’s been an above average performer for Enrique.
While Barcelona would like to keep him, Rafinha is at the point of his career where he wants to be one of the top attacking options for his club. Moving to a club like Arsenal could give him that opportunity. The Gunners could be set for a massive roster overhaul if luminaries like Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil depart this summer. Acquiring Rafinha would be a step towards rebuilding their roster.
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Of course, Rafinha may be hesitant to commit his future to a club with so much managerial uncertainty. If Arsene Wenger elects to sign a new two-year contract with the club, it may remind him too much of his situation this season under Enrique. If Arsenal opt for a new manager, it might cast them in a better light.
Aside from their managerial issues, Arsenal are going to face intense competition from other European clubs. In particular, Juventus, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich have all been linked with cursory interest in the talented attacker. As always, you can expect the highest bidder to come away with his services this summer.
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Arsenal know they’ll need to make serious roster changes this summer, so looking to Barcelona for help makes a lot of sense. The La Liga giants surely have their share of talent, but it’ll prove difficult for Arsenal to acquire any of it this summer.