Raphinha was loved at Leeds United and fans didn’t seem to have a problem with him choosing to move to Barcelona, but they might have an issue after he almost rejected joining the Whites.
The Brazilian is now considered to be one of the best players in the world, and Raphinha has a very strong chance to win the Ballon d’Or.
After Raphinha reached 30 goals and assists in January it gives the 28-year-old every right to put his name in the hat for the prestigious award.
These numbers are only growing as Leeds fans won’t be surprised in the slightest by the Brazilian’s rise in the footballing world.
Raphinha still has huge admiration for Leeds, but his move from Rennes almost didn’t come to fruition in 2022.
How Raphinha almost rejected a move to Leeds United
It’s a concerning scenario for Leeds fans, but Raphinha’s £16 million move to Elland Road might not have ever existed.
Despite Raphinha calling his Barcelona move a ‘dream come true’ his Leeds tenure played a massive part in his career, but if that had been missing, things would be a whole lot different.
In an interview with FourFourTwo, the winger spoke on how signing for Leeds wasn’t an easy decision in the first place.
“The board said, ‘We’ve accepted an offer from Leeds, so now it’s your call, do you want to leave or stay,” Raphinha said.
“If I wanted to leave, there was a private flight waiting for me to go to England and undergo a medical before signing the contract.
“Well, if I said it was a simple decision I’d be lying. It was definitely a tough decision.
“I had 20 minutes to give my answer! Pretty complicated, right?”
Raphinha had to make a career-deciding decision that could’ve backfired massively, but the Brazilian took the risk.
“I’d just helped Rennes reach the Champions League for the first time in their history, and it would have been brilliant to take part in that unique campaign,” Raphinha said.
“On the other hand, I had the offer from a traditional, huge club like Leeds, who were also enjoying great momentum having returned to the Premier League.
“My desire to play for an English club was my first thought before signing for Leeds, so you can imagine how pleased I am now wearing their shirt in the Premier League.”
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Raphinha’s admiration for Marcelo Bielsa at Leeds
Despite Raphinha having arguments with Marcelo Bielsa at Leeds the pair had a tight bond at Elland Road.
It helps Bielsa to have another Spanish speaker in the changing room after the former Leeds boss usually needed a translator in his press conferences.
The Barcelona player continued his interview with the outlet, saying how much of an impact Bielsa had on him in Yorkshire.
“Bielsa is a demanding manager, but that’s normal for top professionals,” Raphinha said.
“It’s important to mention his human side, too: he cares for everyone and tries to see how he can help every individual to get better.
“In football, the coach is often a father figure for players – he wants to get the very best out of them, but cares as well.
“It’s not a cold relationship, and that’s definitely the case with Bielsa. It’s easy to work with him.”
Leeds fans will be very relieved Raphinha chose the Whites, and despite second-guessing his move to the Premier League, Raphinha wouldn’t be where he is today without Leeds.
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