The Red Devils have now lost seven Premier League games this season, just two fewer than they did all of last season. Furthermore, they have failed to score in three of their last four matches across all competitions.
With that in mind, and Antony, Jadon Sancho, and Facundo Pellistri unable to secure the right-wing berth in the United lineup despite failing to score this season, Ten Hag may be obliged to look for a solution in the trade market.
Raphinha, a Barcelona winger, has only started five La Liga games this season, but he is prepared to fight for his spot in Catalonia and is uninterested in leaving.
The Brazilian is presently valued at £52 million in the transfer market, while Sancho is valued at £28 million, making the swap move impractical and exceedingly unlikely, especially given that his current club is claimed to be requesting €70 million (£61 million).
When he joined Leeds United in 2020, the 26-year-old took the Premier League by storm, scoring 17 goals and registering 12 assists in two seasons.
According to AllLeedsTV host Oscar Marrio, Raphinha was “unplayable” in a Leeds shirt, and he was without a doubt the standout player in a relatively weak team. He has seven goal contributions in 15 games for Barcelona this season.
Following in the footsteps of Angel Di Maria, the Brazilian might become the next South American left-footed winger to join Manchester United from a La Liga giant.
Raphinha is a player who enjoys taking on responsibility, whether it’s creating or scoring himself. Although his shots total and xA are shown in the figures above, his competitive must-win mindset and persistent mentality will quickly strengthen Ten Hag’s side, similar to how Alejandro Garnacho tackles the game on the left.
There is no doubt that Raphinha would be an excellent addition to the Manchester United assault, but there is a risk that he will follow in the footsteps of Angel Di Maria, who lasted only one season at Old Trafford after joining for £60 million from Real Madrid.
Of course, Raphinha has past English football experience, unlike the current Benfica star, but getting burnt by another high-profile La Liga acquisition should not be high on United’s priority list – either in January or over the summer.
