Price drops in Coutinho auction as Premier League sides return to the scene

Barcelona know they will have to drop their price demands on Philippe Coutinho to get him off the books in the coming months, according to 'El club de la mitjanit' on Catalunya Ràdio.

The club would now be prepared to accept 80 million euros for the Brazilian, significantly less than the 120 million clause they agreed with Bayern Munich last summer. 

The Germans still have that option but the Premier League seems a more likely destination. Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham are all monitoring the situation. 

Coutinho, who has a contract at Barça until 2023, is on loan at Bayern until the end of the season. The Bavarians are paying his salary and paid an 8.5 million loan fee with the 120 million option to buy. 

Despite reports that Bayern will not exercise that clause, officials at the Bundesliga club have still not taken a decision, although they have suggested they would only sign if the fee drops. 

According to the previously cited media, Coutinho's told Bayern he would like to stay even though he has lost protagonism in recent weeks. 

THE AUCTION 

As they wait for Bayern's decision, Barcelona have started to work on other options. The target now is to get 80 million for his sale, a number within the reach of several Premier League clubs. 

Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham have all been linked in recent days. They're all waiting to see what happens, aware that the price has dropped in recent months. The auction is going down.