Barcelona star Rafinha has refuted reports published by the newspaper Sport that he is set to leave the Catalan club and move to the Saudi league in the summer of 2026.
The Brazilian international has been a target for the Saudi Public Investment Fund for several years, but he initially opted to join Barcelona three years ago, and later extended his stay with the Catalan giants for two more years.
Sport reported that Rafinha had asked the Barcelona management to facilitate his move to Saudi Arabia should negotiations resume next summer, a request to which President Joan Laporta agreed.
However, Rafinha appeared and denied the report, asserting that it was completely unfounded and that he is only focused on staying with Barcelona for as long as possible.
The 28-year-old commented on the news via Instagram, writing, “I really don’t know where they get this nonsense from, but well, this place (Sport) always publishes fake news.”
Rafinha has become a key player for Barcelona since Hansi Flick’s arrival and was a contender for the 2025 Ballon d’Or. This season, his importance has only grown, and his outstanding performances have made his absence due to injury a significant blow to Barça.
This season, Rafinha has made 13 appearances for Barcelona across all competitions, scoring 4 goals and providing 3 assists.
