Barça are looking to speed up the sale of Philippe Coutinho
They have already received a solid offer and the player is keen to move on after struggling at the Camp Nou
It appears now is the time for Philippe Coutinho to leave Barça. After weeks of talks and internal work, the club is beginning to look at selling its most expensive player. Nothing has been confirmed yet but there's optimism a deal can be struck. Barça would prefer a permanent transfer but they won't rule anything out at the moment.
Barça have been keen to treat the situation - and Coutinho - with the greatest amount of respect as to not devalue the player's worth. Coutinho was the most expensive signing in the club's history and, as a result, is one of the best paid players in the current squad. Making a profit is going to be tough but the club is confident they won't lose much either.
As things stand, Barça do have an official offer on the table for Coutinho and the player is aware of that. It would allow him to keep earning the same wage but the club needs to weigh up other options. The main idea is to sell Coutinho this summer but they would also be open to a loan with an obligation to buy for the summer of 2020.
The most likely destination for Coutinho is the Premier League, whose transfer window closes next week. Manchester United and City were linked with moves for the Brazilian yesterday but the club is remaining tight-lipped on those rumours. One thing which appears clear is that he won't be used as a makeweight in any potential deal for Neymar. PSG aren't interested in the midfielder.
Coutinho wants to remain in Europe so that rules out a move to China or Japan. The player and his agents are expected back in Barcelona this week, so talks over this proposed move should accelerate very quickly. Barça aren't looking to sell Coutinho on the cheap either. This is why an initial loan deal, to help recover his value in the transfer market, could appeal to everyone.
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