Manchester United have reportedly been told to cough up €100 million to land Barcelona superstar Philippe Coutinho this summer.
According to a report by Spanish publication AS, Manchester United now know the valuation they will have to meet if they want to secure the services of Philippe Coutinho. Barcelona have slapped a €100 million price tag on the Brazilian playmaker, who could be on his way out of Camp Nou in the summer transfer window.
Philippe Coutinho completed his dream move to Barcelona from Liverpool in January 2018. And, while his start to life at Camp Nou was strong, the dream has turned into a nightmare for the 26-year-old, who seems to have been affected the by the infamous “Second Season Syndrome”.
In 52 appearances across all competitions, Coutinho has just 11 goals and 5 assists, and has been extremely lucky to be a regular in the second half of the season due to Ousmane Dembele’s tryst with injuries. But, it looks like patience seems to be wearing thin at Barcelona, who could offload the player amid interest from Manchester United.
The report claims that a major squad overhaul is set to be kicked off at Camp Nou in the summer transfer window, with as many as ten players likely to be sold. Coutinho is among those players, with Manchester United looking to pounce on the situation, as per recent claims.
Coutinho has prior experience in the Premier League, where he has enjoyed a productive stint with Liverpool. And, the player’s qualities would make him an intriguing fit in the various systems that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has employed since returning to Manchester United in December last year.
While Coutinho could be one of the central midfielders, or even an option on the left side of the attacking trident, in the 4-3-3, he could play at the tip of the midfield diamond, if a 4-4-2 is used. The struggling Barcelona midfielder is thus, a viable target for Manchester United to pursue, although his history with Liverpool would make it a controversial transfer.
Manchester United though, will have to break the bank to acquire the services of the player, with Barcelona slapping a €100 million price tag on him. If sold at the price, the Blaugrana stand to make a considerable loss on their investment.
It also remains to be seen if Manchester United are open to shelling out the €100 million sum that is set to be demanded, and if that indeed is the case, it will be interesting to see if Coutinho ends up returning to the Premier League, this time at Old Trafford.
