Saudi clubs are getting serious: Bar?a star likely to be offered a massive salary

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The Saudi Pro League is reportedly looking to lure Raphinha away from FC Barcelona by offering him four times his current salary.

According to Spanish sports newspaper Mundo Deportivo, two Saudi Arabian clubs—Al-Nassr and Al-Hilal—are chasing the 29-year-old Brazilian. His net salary is set to soar from €12 million to €48 million a year. The sovereign wealth fund PIF is backing both suitors, hoping that landing a star like Raphinha will raise the league's profile. 

To secure the transfer, the Saudis are prepared to offer Barcelona a fee of €80m. 

Raphinha has admitted that he seriously weighed up a move to Saudi Arabia in the summer of 2024, before Hansi Flick's appointment as Barcelona head coach. The winger was ready to accept the offer until the German convinced him to stay. 

"The offer we received from Saudi Arabia was very tempting. It would have changed not only my life, but also that of my parents, my son and many other people," Raphinha told ESPN Brasil in October 2025. "Of course, we considered leaving Barcelona," he admitted. 

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Raphinha has recently been struggling with injuries

Under Flick, Raphinha flourished in the 2024/25 season, scoring 34 goals and providing 23 assists to form a formidable wing partnership with Lamine Yamal for the Catalans. In the just-ended campaign, however, injuries limited his appearances, with the winger featuring in 24 fewer matches than the previous term. 

According to the report, Barcelona are convinced that, even if a new offer were to arrive, Raphinha would again spurn a move to Saudi Arabia in order to make a third attempt, alongside coach Flick, to triumph in the Champions League after winning two LaLiga titles. 

Raphinha's statistics for the 2025/26 season at FC Barcelona: