Barcelona willing to sell Arsenal target Philippe Coutinho - Reports
Barcelona have reportedly put Philippe Coutinho up for sale in the summer, and Arsenal are among the clubs said to be interested in his services.
According to a report by Mundo Deportivo, the Blaugrana are unwilling to spend more money to satisfy some clauses in Coutinho's contract and are willing to part ways with him this summer.
Arsenal had been interested in the former Liverpool man last year, but nothing concrete came of their interest. Coutinho instead returned to Barcelona after his loan spell with Bayern Munich.
Ronald Koeman had promised to give the Brazil international adequate playing time to rediscover his best form at Camp Nou. However, Coutinho's injuries have limited his contributions.
Coutinho has made just 14 appearances in all competitions this season and has not been seen in a Barcelona shirt since suffering a meniscus injury in December 2020.
Would a move to Arsenal help Coutinho rediscover his best form after a hellish spell at Barcelona?
Philippe Coutinho made a name for himself as one of the best and most creative midfielders in Europe while he was at Liverpool.
This prompted Barcelona to break the bank and sign him for a club-record fee of £140m in January 2018. Coutinho himself described the transfer as a dream move.
It has since become a nightmare at Camp Nou, with the current player nowhere near resembling the one who tore defenses to shreds at Anfield.
It began brightly enough for Coutinho in the first few months, and there have been flashes of brilliance since then. But the general consensus is that his three years at Barcelona have so far been an unmitigated disaster.
A transfer away from the club might be in all parties' best interests, and a move to Arsenal could be on the cards in the next transfer window.
The Gunners have been linked with Coutinho on several occasions in the past and might finally land him this summer.
Mikel Arteta is in need of creativity in the middle of the park. Although Martin Odegaard and Emile Smith-Rowe have impressed in recent weeks, Coutinho is more experienced than the pair.
The 28-year-old could bring his experience to the fore at Arsenal, but whether anything concrete comes out of this speculation remains to be seen.