Leeds United may miss out on £20m+ transfer windfall after Raphinha update – pundit
Leeds United could miss out on £20million-plus of transfer revenue if Raphinha’s reported relegation release clause becomes active, according to Alan Hutton.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the former Scotland international insisted the 25-year-old is worth at least £40million after impressing at Elland Road.
Journalist Fabrizio Romano, writing in a column for Caught Offside (17 May), claims Barcelona, Chelsea and Newcastle are waiting in the wings to trigger his £21.2million (€25million) relegation release clause.
The Italian reporter claims the Catalan giants are in talks over personal terms with the Brazilian.
Hutton admitted the release clause is worth half of Raphinha’s true value.
Hutton told Football Insider’s Russell Edge: “When you think in this day and age, what would he go for? To have a release clause of £21million, you are going to lose a lot of money.
“It always happens. When a team goes down their players get picked off and he’s one of them. It’s difficult to take but eventually, it will happen.
“If you look at the teams interested in him, Barcelona are struggling for money. Chelsea, we don’t know what’s going to happen with the sanctions or what’s going on there. Newcastle, we know have the money.
“It’ll be interesting to see exactly what happens. We’ll have to wait until the last day of the season to see where Leeds are. If they do stay up and we’re talking £40-50million, that’s a different conversation.
“It rules a lot of those teams out. It’ll be interesting to see where they finish and who stumps up with the money.
“People will be waiting to see if they go down or stay up, if you’re talking £40million-plus, it’s a different conversation.”
In other news, ‘Unbelievable’ Leeds United transfer claim issued after source’s Newcastle reveal