Leeds United is still owed £35.7 million from Barcelona for the transfer of Raphinha, which occurred over two years ago, according to a recent report from Sport. The Spanish outlet highlighted on October 8 that Raphinha is among four players signed by Barcelona in 2022 for whom significant payments are still outstanding, alongside Ferran Torres, Robert Lewandowski, and Jules Kounde.
When Raphinha left Elland Road, a total fee of £55 million was agreed upon during Andrea Radrizzani’s tenure, with £50 million of that amount reportedly required to be paid upfront by the La Liga club. However, Sport now claims that Leeds is owed £469,000 in the short term and a long-term total of £35.2 million, with additional payments due for previous clubs Sporting CP, Rennes, and Vitoria de Guimaraes.
This ongoing financial uncertainty is likely to frustrate Leeds United fans, who expected a major boost from Raphinha’s transfer. The sale was marketed as the largest transaction in or out of Elland Road in the summer of 2022, designed to enable then-manager Jesse Marsch to invest significantly in replacements. However, the deal’s structure has raised concerns, as it was suggested that Barcelona would pay most of the fee upfront, which now appears not to be the case.
It remains unclear whether Barcelona lacked the financial resources to fulfill the initial payment or if the terms negotiated by Radrizzani and Angus Kinnear were not as robust as anticipated. Leeds supporters are understandably upset about the £35 million shortfall in their finances, compounded by the realization that Raphinha, their standout player at the time, may have been sold for less than his true market value.
Additionally, it is expected that the 49ers Enterprises will cover the outstanding payments owed by Barcelona. With Archie Gray recently sold for a substantial sum to address profit and sustainability concerns, fans and ownership will undoubtedly wonder what might have been if Barcelona had met its financial commitments.
In other Leeds news, Daniel Farke has received a boost as one loan star will remain at Thorp Arch during the international break.
