Barcelona begin Raphinha contract talks as forward negotiates without an agent

Barcelona have made an initial move to extend Raphinha’s contract after the Brazil forward’s impressive form under manager Hansi Flick.

The club’s sporting director Deco held a lengthy meeting with Raphinha at a restaurant on Tuesday afternoon to discuss the player’s future. Raphinha’s current deal runs until 2028.

The meeting was informal but significant, according to Catalan newspaper Sport, and was described as part of a dialogue in which all parties are closely aligned. Raphinha has made clear that he wants to continue playing for Barcelona.

No immediate agreement is expected, with the club under no pressure to conclude negotiations. The 28-year-old still has almost two years remaining on his current contract and remains firmly committed to Barcelona.

Raphinha is said to be extremely happy at the club and is focused on helping the team achieve its objectives this season. He has also taken on an increasingly important role in the dressing room and is regarded as one of Barcelona’s main leaders.

A notable feature of the negotiations is that Raphinha currently has no agent. He is managing discussions about his future himself and is therefore directly involved in meetings with the club, giving him first-hand knowledge of every detail affecting his career.

Deco and Raphinha have a long-standing relationship. Before becoming Barcelona’s sporting director, Deco represented the Brazilian as his agent. That professional association ended when Deco began working for the Catalan club, although the pair have maintained a strong personal relationship.

That closeness was also reflected by the presence of Raphinha’s wife, Taia Belloli, at Tuesday’s informal meeting, according to information obtained by Sport. Her attendance underlined the friendly nature of the discussions and the personal ties between those involved.

Negotiations are beginning from a positive position. Raphinha is fully committed to Barcelona, has no intention of creating obstacles to a new agreement and feels he is a key player whose influence within the squad is continuing to grow.

The situation has some similarities with that of Frenkie de Jong, who ended his relationship with agent Ali Dursun after a period in which communication between his representatives and Barcelona proved difficult during contract-renewal talks.

De Jong wanted greater control over his future and more direct access to information, later entrusting the legal side of his affairs to sports-law specialist Sebastian Ledure.

Raphinha has taken a more direct approach by negotiating personally, listening to club officials and playing an active role in decisions about his contract. That was the arrangement used in Tuesday’s meeting.

The final terms still need to be settled, but Barcelona want to keep Raphinha and the player wants to remain at the club. Having established himself as a leader and one of the team’s most important players, he now has the additional responsibility of helping determine his own future.

Raphinha has made an outstanding start to the current season, scoring eight goals and providing three assists in six appearances in all competitions.