The winger who now leads the Blaugrana dressing room came close to being cashed in during the same window, according to Molina.

His claim was first surfaced this week by Catalan outlet Barca Universal, days after Flick named Raphinha the new club captain on 18 August.

“We know the board were very open to the player leaving, particularly to Saudi Arabia,” Molina said.

“That’s actually why Barça signed another young winger (Jesse Bisiwu): everything was planned in advance just in case.”

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The 18-year-old Belgian arrived from Club Brugge on 31 July on a six-year deal, for a fee of around $9.8 million plus a sell-on percentage. In Molina’s account, the teenager was signed with the captain’s exit already priced in.

The money was supposed to go on Alvarez

The plan, per Molina, was straightforward. Sell Raphinha, spend the proceeds on a top centre forward, and give Flick the striker he has been pushing for. Barcelona would end up with more financial breathing room and a proper number nine.

That number nine was Julian Alvarez. Barcelona’s pursuit of the Argentine collapsed in mid-August after Atletico Madrid refused a domestic sale and pointed to his €500 million release clause. Alvarez has since told his Atletico teammates he made a “mistake” in how he pushed for the move, and is back in training under Diego Simeone.

With no Alvarez, the sale of the captain no longer had a purpose. Raphinha stayed.

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Injuries in the background

Molina also points to fitness as a reason the board were willing to listen.

“But this whole history of injuries is starting to cause some concern,” he said, according to Barca Universal. “So we’ll have to see what happens on that front.”

There is no suggestion in the report that Raphinha himself pushed for a move. The Brazilian has consistently signalled he wants to stay, and the openness Molina describes sat on the board’s side of the table, not the player’s.

From sale target to armband

The captaincy hierarchy was rebuilt this summer after Marc-Andre ter Stegen and Ronald Araujo were sent out on loan, to Ajax and Liverpool respectively, vacating two of the previous senior armbands. Flick handed Raphinha the top role alongside Frenkie de Jong, Pedri, Gavi and Eric Garcia, with a formal squad vote due once the transfer window closes.

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Molina left the door open to a late twist before it does.

“Now, will Saudi Arabia come back with another bid at the end of the transfer window? No idea.”

Barcelona have not commented publicly on the report.

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