Chelsea, Leicester City and Manchester United have all made contact with the agent of Barcelona playmaker Philippe Coutinho, as they eye a summer swoop.
As per a report from Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona midfielder Philippe Coutinho is courting a lot of interest from the Premier League as Chelsea, Leicester City and Manchester United are all considering the possibility of signing him in the summer. To that end, all the clubs have reportedly made contact with the Brazilian’s camp already.
Coutinho signed for Barcelona in January 2018 from Premier League outfit Liverpool, but has hardly been able to make the desired impact. After an underwhelming 18-month spell in Catalonia, the Brazilian playmaker was loaned out Bayern Munich last summer, where he has been able to fare decently.
The 27-year-old has scored nine goals and assisted eight more in 32 matches in all competitions for Die Roten. However, that hasn’t been enough to convince the reigning German champions to convert his loan deal into a permanent one.
Set to return to Barcelona once his loan deal expires, he is deemed surplus to requirements at Camp Nou too, with the La Liga champions looking to cash in on him and generate funds. Valued at £71 million, Coutinho has been attracting serious interest from the Premier League.
Chelsea are one of the clubs who have been heavily linked with a move for the Brazilian. In fact, it had been even reported last month that the West London outfit were closing in on the capture of the 27-year-old. However, there hasn’t been much development since, although as per the report, the Blues have been in touch with the midfielder’s agent.
Leicester City are also eyeing a swoop for the Brazilian, looking to reunite him with former Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers. The Foxes have been punching well above their weight this season, but with James Maddison linked with a number of top clubs, they could be preparing a contingency in the form of Coutinho, should the Englishman depart.
Manchester United are also in the mix for the signing of the 27-year-old, with manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer keen on adding another creative player to the ranks to support January arrival Bruno Fernandes, who has been an instant hit at Old Trafford. Coutinho’s former allegiance to Liverpool might prove to be a stumbling block in the deal, though.
There has been some interest from Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur too, while Newcastle United, set to be backed by their soon-to-be new wealthy owners, have identified Coutinho as the man to kickstart their new project.
Coutinho is keen on securing a return to the Premier League as per the report. The 27-year-old is said to prefer a transfer to Chelsea, although he is believed to be open to joining hands again with Rodgers at Leicester City. Barcelona want to recoup at least £71 million from a player for whom they shelled out £142 million.
It seems all but certain that Coutinho will not be a Barcelona player come next season. But, it remains to be seen which club ends up joining, although as things stand Chelsea seem the favourites to land the 27-year-old.
