Raphinha has expressed his desire to remain with Barcelona for the rest of his career after signing a one-year extension with the LaLiga champions.
The Brazil forward put pen to paper on a deal that will keep him with Barca until the end of June 2028.
His new contract comes after an outstanding season in which Raphinha, having been named one of Barca’s captains for the campaign, inspired the Blaugrana to a LaLiga and Copa del Rey double.
Barca also won the Supercopa de Espana and reached the semi-finals of the Champions League, losing a remarkable tie with Inter Milan in extra time of a pulsating second leg at San Siro.
Heading into Barca’s LaLiga finale against Athletic Bilbao, Raphinha has scored 34 goals and 22 assists in all competitions this season, with many viewing him as a contender to win the Ballon d’Or.
And Raphinha sees himself serving as a talisman for Barca well beyond 2028.
Raphinha told the club’s streaming platform, Barca One: “It’s something very special, and feeling part of the Barca family for another year makes me feel very happy.
“I’ve told my family before that my dream is to be here until the end of my career and I hope to be able to do so but at my best level.”
Raphinha scored only 13 league goals across his first two seasons with Barca after joining from Leeds United.
Prior to his turnaround under Flick, Raphinha was seen as a player Barca could sell to aid their financial situation.
But with his future now secure, Raphinha is keen to build on his dramatic upturn in form.
“I’m now Raphinha, the dad and the captain,” he added.
“I have more responsibility than when I arrived but well, the years go by and you mature and I think I’ve matured a lot since I got here.
“But I think I can still mature a lot more and with the help of everyone, I hope to become a better person and a better footballer.
“I want to keep scoring a lot of goals, assists and above all keep winning a lot of titles in this shirt. This is my personal goal.”
