Out-of-favour Barcelona playmaker Philippe Coutinho is reportedly uninterested in signing for Newcastle United, who were readying a €40 million offer.
According to a report from El Nacional, Newcastle United have faced rejection in their pursuit of Barcelona outcast Philippe Coutinho, with the Brazilian not keen on moving to St. James’ Park in the January transfer window.
Coutinho joined Barcelona four years ago in January 2018 in a club-record move from Liverpool. However, the Brazilian playmaker has endured a torrid spell at Camp Nou, failing to establish himself under different managers. With the Catalans facing a financial crunch, they are looking to offload him and generate some funds while getting his massive wages off the books.
However, there hasn’t been a lot of interest in the ex-Inter Milan midfielder due to the said wages. But, newly cash-rich Newcastle United are believed to have shown a strong interest in recruiting the 29-year-old ahead of the January transfer window.
The Magpies are in the market for additions in the winter as they look to improve the quality in their squad and survive the relegation battle. Goals have been a problem for the Tyneside outfit, with the team heavily reliant on Jonjo Shelvey and Allan Saint-Maximin to provide the creativity.
So, adding someone of Coutinho’s ilk and proven pedigree, who can bring flair, chance creation and his goalscoring abilities to the table, could have made a major difference in their bid to stay up in the Premier League. To that end, the report claims that Newcastle United were ready to offer a sum of €40 million for the Brazilian international.
Barcelona president Joan Laporta would have been willing to accept the offer and part ways with Coutinho. However, any chances of the move happening are off the table now as Coutinho has no intentions to join Newcastle United.
Indeed, as per the report, the ex-Liverpool superstar is aware that he has no future at Camp Nou, especially after the emergence of young talents like Gavi, Nico Gonzalez and Ez Abde this season. But, his entourage has made it clear to Barça that the Magpies are not an option for the 29-year-old.
So, with Newcastle out of contention, Barcelona will once again have to go back to finding a suitor for the out-of-favour midfielder as they look to offload him before the end of the next month.
