Reports: Barcelona star closes in on a move to Inter Milan

Can Barcelona hold on to their player?

What's the story?

Inter Milan are keen to strengthen their midfield as they look to close the gap with Napoli and Juventus and revive their Scudetto challenge. While Ramires has been a long-time target, another name that has entered the fray is Barcelona's central midfielder Rafinha Alcántara.

According to reports in the Daily Express, a loan deal is being worked upon, which will see the 24-year-old leave Camp Nou in the coming weeks, with an option to make the deal permanent for a fee of €18 million.

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Rafinha returned to training last month, following an eight-month injury layoff. The Brazilian suffered a knee injury during a LaLiga clash against Granada last April and eventually had to go through an operation last October.

Coming up through Barcelona's youth system, Rafinha has found first-team action under new manager Ernesto Valverde hard to come by, and with Philippe Coutinho's arrival, he is keen on a move away from the Nou Camp.

While several clubs including Arsenal and former club Celta Vigo have inquired of the midfielder's availability, Inter Milan are reportedly the current front-runners to land him.

The heart of the matter

Rafinha's camp are understood to have reached an agreement in place with Inter but must now wait for the club to negotiate a deal with Barcelona. Rafinha's father and agent Mazinho are reported to have held talks with Barcelona on Wednesday in a bid to make their intentions clear.

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Author's take

A potential move to Inter Milan, though in process, can prove to be a good prospect for both, the club, and the player. Rafinha is keen on returning to first-team action and under Nerazzurri boss Luciano Spalletti, we can expect him to return to his former flair.

However, the price tag can prove to be the ultimate deciding factor with Inter firmly focused on paying a 'reasonable' fee

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