FC Barcelona are plotting a move to sign Marco Verratti in the summer by offering Paris Saint-Germain the opportunity to grab Philippe Coutinho.
According to an exclusive report from Diario Gol, Philippe Coutinho’s days at FC Barcelona could be numbered. The playmaker is not valued by Lionel Messi nor the newly-elected president in Joan Laporta, with both the personalities keen on offloading him in the upcoming summer transfer window.
Laporta’s agenda of keeping hold of Messi at the club is already well-known. As such, the 58-year-old is now keen on using the sale of Coutinho to land a deal for one of Messi’s most favoured players in Marco Verratti.
Both the personalities once again agree on the fact that the Paris Saint-Germain superstar could bring some much-needed quality in the Barcelona midfield. As a result, Barca may offer Coutinho in exchange for Verratti, who is reportedly keen on moving to Camp Nou after struggling with injuries in recent years.
As for Coutinho, he is favoured by PSG superstar Neymar and amid the uncertain future of Julian Draxler, he will be able to serve as an ideal option to provide depth in Mauricio Pochettino’s attacking armoury.
The Brazilian has already had a difficult time in Camp Nou, since joining from Liverpool for a record fee. He has struggled with injuries as well as lack of game-time while his performances haven’t quite made the desired impact in Catalonia either, ultimately forcing Ronald Koeman to instead rely on younger players like Ansu Fati, Trincao and Pedri.
A move to PSG, therefore, could make sense, with the playmaker being valued at around €50 million. It should give Barcelona enough financial leverage to seal a deal for Verratti, who is widely considered as one of the most gifted midfielders in Europe, despite his fair share of injury problems over the years.
From a sporting perspective, Verratti would be an ideal long-term replacement for Sergio Busquets, who has endured a sharp decline in his game over the past couple of years. In addition, FC Barcelona have been linked with a move to offload other key players in the side including Sergi Roberto, meaning the Italian international should also add some much-needed depth in the middle of the park.
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The Catalans have devised an alternative plan as well, involving Coutinho’s sale for a fee of around €50 million. Arsenal were most notably linked with a move for the Brazilian last summer, and with Martin Odegaard set to return to Real Madrid, they might be tempted to come back for the playmaker in the upcoming transfer window.
