Reports: PSG make world record bid for Barcelona superstar
What's the rumour?
Philippe Coutinho's much-anticipated move from Liverpool to Barcelona was finally completed in January 2018 - just 6 months ago - for a hefty reported fee of €120 million, making him the second most expensive player on the planet - behind Neymar, and until Kylian Mbappe's permanent move from AS Monaco to Paris Saint-Germain gets confirmed.
Now, latest reports from Mundo Deportivo (via Goal.com) claim that the 26-year-old's blistering form could see him be subjected to a world record bid worth €270 million from European giants, Paris Saint-Germain.
In case you didn't know...
According to the reports, PSG, who signed Neymar for a world record fee of €220 million last year, are desperate to retain the Brazilian talisman and are keen to sign Coutinho in their quest to keep Neymar.
The immense bond and tightest of friendships between Neymar and Coutinho are well-publicised, with the duo growing up together in Brazil. Now, PSG are reportedly wary of losing Neymar to the likes of Real Madrid and will look to lure Coutinho to keep him happy.
The heart of the matter
The Brazilian has been in sensational form this past year, racking up a total of 22 goals in 42 games for both, Liverpool (12 goals in 20 games) and Barcelona (10 goals in 22) across all competitions.
Further, Coutinho also assisted 14 goals (8 for Liverpool and 6 for Barcelona) before he headed off to represent Brazil at the 2018 FIFA World Cup, where he notched 2 goals and 2 assists in 5 games for the Selecao to top off his best ever season as a footballer.
If Coutinho does move to PSG, it is bound to keep Neymar extremely happy, and the duo will get along like a house on fire to light up Ligue 1 and probably even the UEFA Champions League - the only competition PSG failed to win this past season.
Rumour probability: 4/10
Barcelona fought tooth and nail to sign Coutinho just a few months ago with the long-term goal of establishing him as the heir to Andres Iniesta's midfield throne. Further, Coutinho's current contract includes a €400 million release clause.
While several publications are beginning to report this story, it still seems rather far-fetched and it's hard to see Barcelona allowing their prized Brazilian to leave.
Video:
Wizard, indeed.
What's next?
Having recently been cleared of breaking FFP (Financial fair play) regulations, PSG will be legally able to make this bid, and the reports claim that they have indeed submitted the aforementioned bid to the player's agent, who is expected to present it to Barcelona in the coming days.
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