FRUSTRATED Barcelona could take a £60million hit on £145m “miss” Philippe Coutinho.
The Brazil playmaker never showed his Liverpool form for Barca and now loan club Bayern Munich will not pay the £102m asking price.
Brazil playmaker Philippe Coutinho faces an uncertain future, with Bayern Munich yet to decide if they will make a permanent offerCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Spanish website Mundo Deportivo say Barca “would accept with their eyes closed” a bid of around £68m to £77m.
Chelsea, Manchester United and even old club Liverpool have been linked with the 27-year-old over the past year.
But his annual wages of about £7.2m will limit the number of interested clubs, as might his Nou Camp slump.
Barca reportedly hoped to cash in on Coutinho during the transfer window, to fund a move for Arsenal skipper Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Injuries to Luis Suarez and now Ousmane Dembele mean the La Liga champs’ transfer priority is up front.
OUT FOR THE COUT
And Barca have even sought emergency permission to sign 32-year-old Getafe super-sub Angel outside the transfer window.
Meanwhile, they will surely be keen to put Coutinho’s forgettable two-year spell in the past by selling him in the summer.
Nou Camp boss Quique Setien has remaining positive, despite injury woes and trailing La Liga leaders Real Madrid by three points.
He said: “I’ve had set-backs all my career.
“I know all clubs have problem but I have to concentrate on the football.”
Barcelona’s only fit forwards are Lionel Messi, Antoine Griezmann and 17-year-old Ansu Fati
Athletic Bilbao score in the 93rd minute to knock Barcelona out of the Copa Del Rey
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
