Barcelona captain Raphinha confirms his desire to sign a new contract and retire at Camp Nou

Following a summer of intense speculation regarding his future, Raphinha has firmly shut down any exit rumours by confirming his intention to remain with Barcelona for the foreseeable future. The attacker revealed that he is eager to sit down with the club hierarchy to discuss a new deal.

Raphinha was appointed as the first captain by manager Hansi Flick this season, and that added responsibility appears to have elevated his performances on the pitch. The player currently leads the scoring charts in Spain with nine goals, proving his immense value to a team that have started the domestic campaign in spectacular fashion.

The current agreement between Raphinha and Barcelona runs until the summer of 2028, but sporting director Deco has already indicated that the club have plans to secure his long-term future. Raphinha welcomed the invitation to negotiate, explaining his initial thoughts when he previously committed his future to the Spanish giants.

"I renewed until 2028 with the idea that, by then, I would be 30 or 31 years old and I didn't know how I would manage," Raphinha told RAC1. The player admitted that his outstanding physical condition and brilliant form have entirely changed his perspective regarding how many years he has left at the absolute highest level of European football.

Raphinha feels completely settled under the guidance of Hansi Flick and believes he can maintain his remarkable output for several more seasons. The prolific goalscorer wants to reward the faith shown in him by dedicating the remainder of his playing days to Barcelona.

Emphasising his desire to avoid any future transfers, Raphinha confidently stated: "But given how I've started the season, I understand that I have enough to last a few more years. So, yes, I would be happy to extend my contract a little and finish my career here without having to go anywhere else." His recent hat-trick against Racing Santander highlights exactly why Barcelona are desperate to keep him.

Raphinha will return to domestic action on Saturday when Barcelona face Sevilla at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan. The captain will be determined to add to his impressive tally of nine league goals and maintain his momentum. Following that fixture, focus will shift towards crucial upcoming matches in the UEFA Champions League, where Raphinha recently netted twice in a brilliant 5-1 victory over Feyenoord.