Chelsea in ‘love’ with Barcelona star and plot summer move to sign him: Reports

Chelsea 'love' Barcelona winger Raphinha and haven't forgotten about him since missing out on his signature last summer, as per Spanish outlet SPORT (h/t Express).

The Brazil international had interest from west London but opted to move to Catalonia instead. The Blaugrana spent £60 million on transfer fees to sign him from Leeds United, but he has so far failed to justify the price tag.

Barcelona reportedly regret signing him. His return of two goals and three assists in 17 La Liga matches is a reflection of the dip in form he has undergone since last season.

Raphinha scored 11 times and provided three assists in 35 games to save Leeds United from relegation, as they finished 17th in the league last term. Having proven his mettle in England over the course of his two-year stay, it seems Chelsea are still keen on signing him to bolster their attack.

They will apparently return to sign the 26-year-old in the summer, knowing that Barca will be in a tough spot regarding their finances. A deal later today (31 January) is believed to be out of the question.

Ousmane Dembele's recent thigh injury has sidelined him from action for up to a month. Moreover, Memphis Depay's departure to Atletico Madrid on a permanent basis earlier this month means manager Xavi Hernandez is devoid of options in attack.

Raphinha is expected to be a regular starter in the coming weeks, with Robert Lewandowski, Ansu Fati, and Ferran Torres completing Barcelona's current attacking lineup. This could be a crucial phase for Raphinha to show that he still belongs at Spotify Camp Nou.

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Chelsea should pursue a deal for Barcelona's Raphinha

Chelsea have signed Mykhailo Mudryk (22) and David Datro Fofana (20) up front earlier this month. Neither had any experience playing in England prior to 2023.

They are also relatively young and could take time to reach their peak years. Noni Madueke (20), who was signed from PSV Eindhoven this January, is in the same boat.

Despite his time in London with Crystal Palace and Tottenham Hotspur between 2011 and 2018, he did not make a single senior appearance for them. Hence, Raphinha's signing would add some much-needed experience to the young frontline that manager Graham Potter is envisaging at SW6.

Joao Felix's loan deal from Atletico Madrid is set to reach its end this summer, while Hakim Ziyech's future at Stamford Bridge is up in the air. Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) are heavily linked with a move for the Morocco international, as per Fabrizio Romano.

Signing Raphinha makes sense in that regard for Chelsea. It remains to be seen if the Barcelona winger will be open to moving to a club he rejected last summer.