Barcelona forward Raphinha has signed a new contract with the LaLiga champions until 2028 after helping them win a domestic treble this season.
The 28-year-old’s previous deal was due to expire in 2027, but he has been handed an additional year in recognition of his outstanding form this season.
Raphinha joined Barça from Leeds United in 2022 for around €60 million, scoring 20 goals across his first two campaigns with the Catalan club.
However, he has taken his game to the next level this season, netting 34 goals and providing 25 assists in all 56 appearances as Barça won LaLiga, the Copa del Rey and the Spanish Supercopa.
His performances in Europe have been especially eye-catching, with 13 goals and nine assists coming in his 14 UEFA Champions League outings as Barça reached the semifinal.
No Barça player has ever registered more goal contributions in the competition in a single season, with Lionel Messi (19) holding the previous record.
The Brazilian’s performances, which have propelled him into the Ballon d’Or conversation, have come after a summer in which he had considered leaving the club.
Coach Hansi Flick convinced him to stay, though, and handed him a role on the left of Barça’s attack alongside Robert Lewandowski and Lamine Yamal, albeit with the freedom to come inside.
Raphinha signed his new deal on Thursday, just one day after Flick penned new terms until 2027, while sporting director Deco has said he is working on tying down more players to longer deals.
Speaking to RAC1, Deco confirmed Frenkie de Jong and Eric García, who both have contracts until 2026, are among those next in line to extend their deals, while talks are also ongoing to improve Lamine Yamal’s terms when he turns 18.
“I’m not surprised by his season, I’ve known him for many years,” Barça sporting director Deco said of Raphinha on Thursday.
“His first year was very good and the second was a little down, but this season he’s been spectacular. If a player wants to be at Barça, he has to be 200% committed, and Raphinha, from the very first minute, never wanted to leave. He wanted to stay [last summer] and he was confident in himself, and we’re delighted.”
Raphinha joined the Catalan outfit from Leeds in the summer of 2022 in a €58 million ($65m) transfer.
In his first two seasons at the club, Raphinha was used off the bench 11 times and started just 42 times out of a possible 76.
He admitted to ESPN earlier this season that he considered leaving the club on several occasions before his rise to prominence.
Raphinha had suffered injury problems in his second season and then had to put up with speculation that the club wanted to move him to bring in Athletic Club forward Nico Williams.
ESPN’s Adriana García contributed to this report.
