Despite only managing to win three of their 18 Premier League games so far this season, drawing seven and losing eight along the way, one figure at Leeds United that has been rather crucial for the Yorkshire club is Raphinha.

With eight goals, one assist and an overall performance rating of 7.21/10, making him Leeds' highest-rated player according to WhoScored, this shows just how much of a key player he is for Marcelo Bielsa's side.

After ending his debut season with Leeds as their highest-rated player according to WhoScored last season, the Brazilian was linked with a move away from Elland Road last summer with the likes of fellow Premier League clubs Liverpool and Manchester United reportedly interested in him.

A recent report from TNT Sports claims that German club Bayern Munich are closing in on a deal to sign the attacker in January and while this may not be as bad as selling him to another Premier League side, it would still be an unforgivable disaster if the winger were to leave Leeds in January.

It would certainly be a big blow for Bielsa given how important Raphinha has been to his side since arriving from Rennes back in October 2020, scoring a total of 14 goals and providing ten assists in 47 appearances across all competitions.

Labelled as a "relentless" player due to his work on the pitch by Noel Whelan, it would surely be a scary thought for a lot of Leeds fans to think about how this season could end if the forward leaves next month.

Taking into account his goals and overall performances this season, it's safe to say that Raphinha has the ability to keep Leeds away from the relegation zone and in the Premier League next season if he can continue playing well and scoring goals.

If he ends up staying at Elland Road for the remainder of the season, it should be one of the club's top priorities to secure the winger, who is currently valued at £36m according to Transfermarkt, with a new deal to keep him in Yorkshire beyond 2024, which is when his current contract expires.

After all, losing him is an eventuality that Leeds simply cannot face given their perilous position in the league table. If Raphinha leaves and they fail to beat the drop, the whole scenario will border on unforgivable from Victor Orta.

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