Out-of-favour Barcelona midfielder Philippe Coutinho continues to be linked with a transfer this summer, with former club Liverpool claimed to be his preferred destination.
The Brazilian has underwhelmed since arriving at the club in January 2018, and was loaned out to Bayern Munich for the duration of the 2019/20 season. With the German side deciding not to take up the option for a permanent deal, Coutinho’s future remains uncertain. However, he appears to be on his way out of Camp Nou this summer – one way or another.
According to Catalan newspaper Sport, three Premier League clubs in Leicester City, Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal all hold some interest in signing the 28-year-old who is surplus to require at Barcelona.
The Spanish club, in turn, need all the cash they can get as they plan to shift as much deadwood as possible to balance the books.
Recent reports speculate that the 2019/20 La Liga runners-up will try to sell as many as 12 stars this summer, amid financial turmoil, with Samuel Umtiti, Ivan Rakitic, Nelson Semedo and Ousmane Dembele also on the market alongside Coutinho.
However, Sport’s latest insists that Coutinho’s ‘main wish’ is to rejoin Liverpool – the club where he spent five years, before moving to Spain.
This isn’t the first time that Coutinho’s supposed interest in the Merseyside club has been reported – a few weeks ago it was claimed that the player had expressed his desire for a potential reunion, despite 90min’s earlier understanding that the Premier League champions aren’t in the race to sign him.
The 28-year-old arguably played his best football at Liverpool, and may well jump at the chance to join a team who have since won the Premier League and Champions League after he left for Spain – where he’s struggled to establish himself and hasn’t come close to recreating his dazzling performances.
Yet while rumours persist of a dream return to Anfield, even Sport adds that Jürgen Klopp is still focused on signing the midfielder’s former teammate Thiago, who has expressed he wants to leave Die Roten this summer.
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