The Brazilian arrived at Elland Road for just £17m in October 2020, much to the distress of the fans of his former club Rennes who knew they had parted ways with a player of enormous talent.
That skill soon came to bear in LS11, and it wasn't long before Raphinha's Premier League performances - making nine assists and scoring nine in his first season - turned the heads of some of Europe's most elite clubs.
The wideman became United's most valuable player over the course of his second season in England's top flight as his creative flair and relentless endeavour helped to secure the Whites' Premier League survival.
Now, the 25-year-old has secured the move he has dreamed about since he was a child and will compete in La Liga next season - but he remains fond of Leeds.
"Life is made up of meetings and goodbyes, and the amazing times I lived in Leeds will always be in my memory," Raphinha said.
"I will never forget the club that hugged me, the club I was representing when I first went to the Brazilian national team.
"I want to thank you for all the love, trust, support and all the joys I enjoyed at Leeds United."
Here, we take a look at the 15 biggest sales made by Leeds United...
1. Raphinha - £52m
The Brazilian sealed his dream move, joining Barcelona in the most expensive sale ever made by Leeds United. Photo: David Ramos
2. Kalvin Phillips - £42m.
After 14 years at his boyhood club, the Yorkshire Pirlo commanded a hefty fee as he made a cross-Pennine switch to Manchester City. Photo: Matt McNulty
3. Rio Ferdinand - £30m
Ferdinand became the most expensive British football player with his transfer to United's old rivals, which also broke the world record for a fee paid for a defender. Photo: Alex Livesey
4. Chris Wood - £15m
Burnley paid a club record fee for the services of the New Zealander in 2017. Photo: Laurence Griffiths
5. Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink - £12m
The Dutchman wasn't happy with the terms in a new contract offered by United in 1999 so moved on to Atlético Madrid. Photo: Nuno Correia
6. Ross McCormack - £11m
The striker departed Elland Road for a Championship-record fee in 2014. Photo: Harry Engels