German newspaper Kicker says that the former Schalke man will return to the Bundesliga by signing for Bayern in a €5.5 million deal on Monday. Both clubs have agreed on the fee and the player has agreed personal terms on a three year deal. Now all that remains is the medical, which will take place tomorrow.
Enrico Preziosi recently told admitted he was resigned to losing Rafinha, telling Radio Radio: “The player prefers the German championship to the Italian championship. He wants to go back to Germany and he confirmed as much in a recent interview too. I think we’ll reach an agreement with a big Bundesliga outfit.”
The 25-year-old right back joined Genoa last summer for €9 million and scored twice in 34 appearances, but his desire to return to Germany is likely to see his stay Stadio Luigi Ferraris cut short, and has also seemingly put to bed any chance of a move to Lazio, who were also rumoured to be interested.
This alerted the German giants, who were thought to be chasing Benfica’s Fabio Coentrao, but were put off by his large price tag. Instead, the arrival of Rafinha on the right side of defence will see Phillip Lahm to move to the left back position, which Coentrao would have occupied.
Rafinha started his career in Brazil with Londrina before moving to Coritiba, for whom he made his debut in 2002. He played there for three years, before making the switch to Schalke, and then five years after that, Genoa. He has one cap for the senior Brazil team, and was a part of the 2008 Olympic squad that won the bronze medal.
