Celta Vigo are in negotiations with Barcelona for a deadline day move for midfielder Rafinha Alcantara, report Marca.
It is claimed that the deal being discussed is a season-long loan move with a compulsory €10m purchase option, after Rafinha – whose current Barca deal expires in 2020 – renews his Camp Nou deal.
The midfielder’s contract is up at the end of this season but the club are reluctant to sanction a permanent sale despite the player’s track record of injuries.
It had previously been reported that Valencia were open to the possibility of bringing in the 26-year-old this summer, having previously made attempts to sign him in a permanent deal worth €15m.
Rafinha has been blighted by similar injury problems over the years – he had a stint on loan at Inter for the second half of the 2017-18 season but featured in just five La Liga games last campaign before suffering a MCL knee ligament injury.
The Brazilian is set to be a number of players to exit the Camp Nou this summer and goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen has already joined Valencia, with Neto going the other way.
With the clubs maintaining a good relationship and locked in negotiations, another mentioned Valencia target – Denis Suarez – has since joined Celta, who now are favourites for the Brazilian.
Denis, Cillessen, Thomas Vermaelen, Douglas Pereira, Jeison Murillo and Kevin Prince-Boateng have been among the departures from the Camp Nou this summer.
