Chelsea have spent a king's ransom on the transfer front since the arrival of new owner Todd Boehly last year but will continue to tinker away this summer, and Barcelona phenom Raphinha has been distinguished.
What's the latest on Raphinha to Chelsea?
Last summer, Chelsea were homing in on a £55m transfer for Raphinha after taking the lead in the race, ahead of Arsenal and Barcelona, before the La Liga giants stole in at the eleventh hour and snagged the ace from Blues clutches.
La Blaugrana's financial troubles have been well documented this term, and a score of players are at risk of transfer as the club looks to balance the books, with Raphinha at the epicentre of the strife.
And now, according to journalist Simon Phillips, speaking to GIVEMESPORT, the Blues remain interested in the 26-year-old.
He said: "Yeah, this is one to watch for sure. I was told months ago that Chelsea were still keeping tabs on Raphinha, even after he joined Barcelona. He was fairly close to joining Chelsea at one point before Barcelona came in.
“Many at Chelsea still like him. Obviously, he chose Barcelona, they were his dream and he made that pretty clear publicly as well, but Chelsea have still been there."
Who could Raphinha replace at Chelsea?
The "magician" – as once heralded by former teammate Dan James – was superlative for the Whites as they cemented their stature in the Premier League after promotion from the second tier.
The 5 foot 9 machine scored 11 goals and supplied three assists in the English top-flight last year, imperative as Leeds staved off the threat of relegation.
This season, Raphinha has only started 15 times in La Liga but has collected nine goals and nine assists apiece across all competitions, continuing his Midas touch in front of goal at Elland Road and now growing into his skin as a prolific outlet.
As per FBref, the £212k-per-week phenom ranks among the top 12% of attacking midfielders and wingers for total shots, the top 14% for attempted passes and the top 8% for progressive passes received per 90, which illustrates a dynamic, rounded skill set and efficacy in both direct and supporting offensive roles.
He would be the optimum replacement for Hakim Ziyech, who has not always been a regular presence in the starting line-up since his £33m move from Ajax in 2020, this season failing to score and registering just one assist from 19 appearances, also agonisingly seeing a winter transfer to Paris Saint-Germain fail to materialise due to a deadline day error.
The £100k-per-week Ziyech ranks among the top 4% of positional peers for total shots and the top 6% for attempted passes per 90, mirroring Raphinha's approach from his right-wing berth, who would seamlessly integrate into manager Graham Potter's squad in the Moroccan's stead.
Whether Boehly and his team would be able to whittle down the price for the 16-cap star remains to be seen, but given Chelsea's affluence and willingness to spend the big bucks under their American owner, parting with roughly £600m since last summer, Raphinha's name could well be chalked into Blues books in short time.