Raphinha set to appoint Ali Barat as new agent amid Barcelona contract talks

Raphinha is preparing to appoint Ali Barat as his new representative, with the Brazilian forward also nearing an agreement on a contract extension with Barcelona.

The move, reported by Sport, comes as negotiations over a new deal at Camp Nou approach their final stages. Barat, one of the prominent figures in the transfer market, is expected to represent the La Liga’s leading scorer and has a strong relationship with Barcelona’s board.

Barat is the owner of Epic Sport and has overseen major transfers in some of the world’s leading leagues in recent seasons. Raphinha’s decision comes after several high-profile agents attempted to bring him into their client lists.

Among those to have pursued him were Pini Zahavi, who held talks lasting several months, Jorge Mendes, Brazilian agent Giuliano Bertolucci – described as the highest-earning Brazilian agent in the world – and Roc Nation.

Roc Nation represents, among others, Barcelona player Marc Bernal and Real Madrid forwards Vinicius Junior and Endrick. Raphinha politely turned down all of those approaches before choosing Barat.

The partnership between Raphinha and the Iranian businessman, who is based in the United Arab Emirates, has come as a surprise. Barat is known for maintaining a highly private profile, and there had previously been little information suggesting a possible connection between the pair.

Raphinha’s relationship with Barcelona also has an unusual element. When he joined the club from Leeds, his agent was Deco. The former Portugal international is now Barcelona’s sporting director, meaning Raphinha has been without an agent since Deco moved into the administrative role.

That situation is now set to change, with Barat’s first major task likely to be completing Raphinha’s contract renewal. The new agreement would make the Brazil international one of the highest-paid players in the squad, reflecting his influence both in the dressing room and on the pitch.

Barcelona sporting director Deco has told club members that progress has been made towards extending the captain’s contract until 30 June 2030. His current deal runs until 2028, so the proposed extension would add two further seasons.

Raphinha has already indicated that he is open to staying beyond 2028. In an interview with RAC1, he said he wanted to extend his contract and expressed a desire to retire from professional football as a Barcelona player.

His current form has increased the club’s determination to secure his future. Raphinha has scored 12 goals in the first seven rounds of La Liga, including hat-tricks in successive matches against Levante and Sevilla.

He has also scored twice in the Champions League, taking his total to 14 goals in eight competitive appearances. Raphinha has achieved that return while playing as a centre-forward, a role given to him by manager Hansi Flick despite not being a natural striker.

He currently leads the race for the Pichichi award, given to La Liga’s top scorer, by five goals.