Rafinha Alcantara is set to leave Paris Saint-Germain on a temporary basis next month and join Real Sociedad for the rest of the season, according to Italian transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano.
Along with his brother Thiago, Rafinha rose through the ranks at Barcelona’s famous La Masia academy, but his career hasn’t reached nearly the same heights as that of the Liverpool man. He had two separate loan spells with Celta Vigo, with one at Inter Milan squeezed in between, and he made a permanent move to the French capital in the summer of 2020.
Things obviously haven’t gone as well as he would have hoped in the French capital. The 28-year-old attacking midfielder has only made five appearances for Mauricio Pochettino’s team this season, all in Ligue 1, of which he started just three. As for the Champions League, he didn’t make the matchday squad for any of the six games in the group stage.
Rafinha’s contract with PSG expires in 2023, which means there would still be a year on it left when he returns from the proposed loan. As things stand at the moment, it seems fairly likely he’ll be looking to move on permanently when that moment comes.
Rafinha boasts considerable La Liga experience, having made 117 appearances in the Spanish top flight for Barcelona and Celta combined, and as such, he’s likely to prove valuable for Sociedad. At the moment, coach Imanol Aguacil has 35-year-old David Silva, formerly of Manchester City, and 19-year-old Robert Navarro at his disposal in the attacking midfield department.
Real Sociedad are progressing in talks to sign Rafinha from Paris Saint-Germain. It’s gonna be a 6 months loan deal, until June 2022. #RealSociedad
Negotiations ongoing to complete the agreement, there are still details to be sorted but club sources are ‘confident’. #PSG pic.twitter.com/mjXaqqy6Ps
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) December 22, 2021
