Report: Real Betis to Sign PSG's Lo Celso Instead of Barcelona's Rafinha
Rafinha looks set to remain at Barcelona as a squad player this season after failure to agree a deal with Real Betis saw the Andalucian club strike a deal with Paris Saint-Germain for midfielder Giovani Lo Celso instead.
It was reported earlier this month that talks over a proposed Betis move for Rafinha had broken down and that it would only be resurrected in the event of an offer too good to turn down.
As the Spanish transfer deadline looms, it was theoretically still possible that a move could happen, but Mundo Deportivo has stated that Barcelona's refusal to accept a loan deal without a mandatory purchase option led Betis to quickly deal with PSG instead.
As such, Lo Celso is due in Seville on Friday to complete his move to Estadio Benito Villamarín.
Barça's determination to only let Rafinha go with view to a permanent deal is perhaps understandable after Inter didn't exercise their €35m option to buy the Brazil international at the end of their loan last season.
Prior to joining Inter, Rafinha had already left Barça on loan once before. That spell at Celta Vigo in 2013/14 served the purpose of gaining greater experience and he actually returned to Camp Nou to play 36 games in all competitions during the 2014/15 treble winning campaign.
However, a serious knee injury the following season halted his progress and the now 25-year-old has never quite been able to re-establish himself.
For this season at least, Rafinha, brother of Spanish international Thiago Alcantara, looks set to remain a back-up or rotation option in the Barcelona squad.
