Barcelona have rewarded Raphinha for his fine start to the new campaign with a contract extension until 2030, the Spanish champions have announced.

The Brazil international's previous deal was due to expire in 2028, but Barça have moved quickly to tie him down for an additional two years following his remarkable transition into a No.9.

Raphinha, 29, has scored 19 goals in just 13 appearances in all competitions this year, including a brace in Tuesday's 3-0 UEFA Champions League win over Aston Villa.

Following the club's failed pursuit of Atlético Madrid striker Julián Álvarez this summer, Barça turned to Raphinha to plug the hole left by the departures of Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres.

Raphinha joined Barça from Leeds United in 2022, initially as a right winger, but his best performances for the Catalan club have come on the left wing under Hansi Flick.

He netted 34 goals in 57 games in 2024-25 and another 21 in 33 last term playing on the left side of Barça's attack.

However, with no recognised senior striker at the club in preseason, Flick used Raphinha in a central role, flanked by Anthony Gordon and Lamine Yamal.

Before the LaLiga opener against Elche in August, Flick asked Raphinha if he was comfortable continuing as a No.9 or if he wanted to move back to the left, to which he said he was happy to play through the middle.

The results since have been devastating. Raphinha scored in seven of Barça's first eight fixtures, only failing to find the net against Levante, when he provided two assists in a 4-2 victory.

Prior to the last international break he hit back-to-back hat tricks against Racing Santander and Sevilla, but an injury while with Brazil saw him miss Barça's next two games.

He returned as a starter for the defeats to Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid, scoring in the Clàsico loss, and has scored braces in his last two games, against Alavés and Villa.

His goals have propelled Barça's impressive start to the campaign -- 13 wins from 15 games -- ahead of Sunday's top of the table clash in LaLiga away at Atlético Madrid.