With Karim Adeyemi’s deal on the verge of being completed, president Joan Laporta shed some light on Raphinha’s future at FC Barcelona. Raphinha‘s future at Barcelona has been called into question, both by the reported interest he has attracted from abroad and by the club’s recent agreement to sign Karim Adeyemi, which is pending only a formal announcement. With speculation mounting over a potential departure, president Joan Laporta has now weighed in on the Brazilian’s situation.
Barcelona have been among the most active clubs in the summer transfer window, even with the 2026 World Cup still underway, securing Anthony Gordon and now closing in on Adeyemi. According to Fabrizio Romano, the club reached an agreement with Borussia Dortmund for €22 million plus up to €7 million in add-ons tied to appearances and title bonuses.
Speaking to reporters in Dallas, where he traveled to attend the World Cup semifinal between France and Spain, Laporta was enthusiastic when asked about the Adeyemi deal: “We are very excited about Adeyemi. We’ve liked him for a while now. He is dangerous and fast, and the signing was handled very well by Deco. The news came out exactly when it was supposed to.“
What about Raphinha?
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano recently reported that Al Hilal have expressed interest in signing Raphinha, who has been a target for Saudi clubs for some time. While the Brazilian’s preference is to remain at Barcelona, the club’s aggressive spending in the attacking positions signals a rebuild that will likely require departures.
Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski of FC Barcelona carry the 2025-26 La Liga trophy.
Laporta, however, was unequivocal when asked about Raphinha’s future. “Raphinha is going to stay. We have absolutely no interest in him leaving Barca. He is a mainstay. With Gordon and Adeyemi, I see that we are reinforcing the attack, but that doesn’t mean we are going to part ways with Raphinha, who is key for us,” the president said.
Laporta also reflected on Raphinha’s 2025-26 season, which fell short of the standards he set the year before when he was among the Ballon d’Or contenders. “The shame about last season is that he wasn’t able to be at full capacity during that final stretch of the League, Champions League, and Copa. The results would have been different,” he added.
With Marcus Rashford now expected not to return, Barcelona’s attacking roster remains heavily stocked. Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, Dani Olmo, Fermin Lopez, Ferran Torres, Rony Bardghji, Gordon, and Adeyemi all compete for positions across the wing and attacking midfield roles, and with the club still navigating a difficult financial situation, outgoings this summer appear inevitable.