According to GOAL, citing Catalan newspaper Sport, Barcelona have set Thursday 5 November to formalise Raphinha's contract renewal. GOAL reported that the new deal would tie him to the club until 2030, barring a last-minute twist.
Agreement already completed
According to GOAL, citing Sport, the agreement itself was wrapped up some time ago, with only the official formalities remaining to confirm the deal. GOAL also reported that Sport had previously detailed a meeting between Deco and Raphinha at a restaurant, where they ironed out the final details of his stay in a face-to-face chat.
Reason for the delay
GOAL reported that the holdup comes down purely to scheduling, with no dispute between club and player. Deco later told a gathering of the club's representatives that the renewal paperwork was already complete, but clashing diaries had stopped the official ceremony going ahead.
Barcelona schedule
Barcelona played Aston Villa in the Champions League on Tuesday evening, and Raphinha scored two goals. A recovery session is pencilled in for Wednesday 4 November, while Hansi Flick is likely to hand his players a day off on Thursday, though the final call rests with the German coach.
Focus turns to Atletico Madrid
From Friday, the team will switch focus to Sunday's trip to Atletico Madrid, with a final session on Saturday before the squad travels to the Spanish capital.
