Barcelona face £20m transfer decision to offer Arsenal hope of completing Philippe Coutinho deal

Arsenal’s hopes of lastly signing Brazilian star Philippe Coutinho may come true this summer time, it has emerged.

The former Liverpool architect, who has struggled to impress at Barcelona ever since swapping Anfield for the Nou Camp in January 2018, was closely linked with a transfer to the Emirates Stadium final summer time as Gunners boss Mikel Arteta appeared to strengthen his attacking-midfield choices.

However, after a number of months of hypothesis and rumours, no deal ever materialised, largely as a result of the previous Inter Milan star was provided recent hope with the La Liga giants following the arrival of Ronald Koeman because the membership’s new supervisor.

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This season, Coutinho, who spent final season on mortgage at Bayern Munich, serving to them win the UEFA Champions League, had seen his alternatives enhance on the Nou Camp till he was struck by a serious damage blow, which means he has not but performed in 2021.

This kind of sums up the Brazilian’s time in Spain, with him having struggled to ever replicate the shape and sophistication that earned him the transfer simply over three years in the past.

Despite Barcelona touchdown the midfielder for a whopping £142million charge, he could possibly be bought this summer time at a less expensive fee.

That is as a result of, in accordance to a report by Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona should pay Liverpool one other £20million if he reaches 100 appearances for the membership.

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At the time of writing, Coutinho has featured 90 occasions for the La Liga giants, which means he’s simply ten video games away from that clause inside the deal being triggered.

With that in thoughts, Barcelona might have to make a decision over Coutinho, having been dealt a number of large blows up to now 12 months as a result of of the coronavirus pandemic, which has hit virtually each membership throughout the globe in a technique or one other in an financial sense.

It has been reported in Spain that Barcelona might as a substitute look to promote him this summer time to cease Coutinho from reaching the 100 appearances that will set off that individual clause.

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Should Barcelona be overtly wishing to offload him this summer time, it may alert Arsenal as soon as once more as they’re doubtless to stay on the hunt for a central-attacking midfielder, particularly if Martin Odegaard doesn’t return on mortgage from Real Madrid or signal on a everlasting deal.

Adding a everlasting fixture to the No.10 place has been a high precedence for Arteta during the last 12 months. During final summer time’s transfer window the membership was determined to signal Lyon ace Houssem Aouar, however ended up prioritising a transfer for Thomas Partey as a substitute.

Should Madrid not enable Odegaard to return to the Emirates Stadium, Coutinho could possibly be a legitimate candidate to fill the place he can have vacated forward of subsequent season.

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