Barcelona are reportedly ready to sanction a loan move for attacking outcast Philippe Coutinho, although the identity of a potential buyer is unclear.
According to claims by Catalunya Radio, as carried out by Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona are open to the idea of letting Philippe Coutinho depart from Camp Nou in this summer’s transfer window. But, while the La Liga champions want to sell him permanently, they might have to offload him on a loan deal instead.
Coutinho was in dream land when he completed his long desired move to Barcelona from Liverpool in January 2018. The start to life at Camp Nou was fantastic as well, as the Brazilian international aided their cause in winning the domestic double, having been ineligible to represent the Catalans in the UEFA Champions League.
But, the dreaded second season syndrome, his first full season with Barcelona, struck Coutinho last term. In what was a horrendous campaign, the 27-year-old started just 22 La Liga games and in 54 appearances across all competitions, he had a paltry return of 11 goals and 5 assists.
As a result, Coutinho’s future at Camp Nou has been the subject of intense speculation, with reports linking him with a number of suitors. PSG have been linked the most heavily, with former MSN trio stalwart Neymar being rumoured to be on Barcelona’s agenda for the summer.
Liverpool were also briefly linked with the idea of re-signing Coutinho, but Jurgen Klopp recently ruled out the idea of bringing the Barcelona attacking outcast back to Anfield. As a result, the Blaugrana are having to weigh up their options , when it comes to the Brazilian.
Now, as per Catalunya Radio (h/t Mundo Deportivo), Barcelona are ready to send Coutinho out on loan for the forthcoming season. And, even though they would like to sell him outright, the La Liga champions are open to the idea of temporary move, if they can recoup a significant sum on the loan fee, ideally amounting to the annual amortization of the transfer fee they paid to Liverpool.
For now, Coutinho is expected back at the club this Sunday for his pre-season medical, having helped Brazil to the Copa America title this summer. But, chances are, Coutinho’s immediate future lies away from Camp Nou, although Barcelona will need to accelerate the procedure of his loan if he is to join an English club, with their deadline day less than a week away.
