Reports: PSG planning swoop for Barcelona star amid interest from Manchester United and Chelsea
What’s the story?
According to reports from Spanish media outlet AS, Paris Saint-Germain are planning a move for wantaway Barcelona star Philippe Coutinho.
In case you didn’t know…
Coutinho arrived at the Nou Camp with a lot of anticipation in January 2018, but has thus far struggled to make an impact. The 26-year-old remains the most expensive player in the Blaugrana's rich history, but has failed to justify his huge price tag so far.
Coutinho performed well in the second half of 2017-18 season but failed to cement his place in the starting line-up in the recently concluded campaign. Moreover, the fans are turning against him and it goes without saying that Barcelona manager Ernesto Valverde is yet to trust the player completely.
The Brazilian playmaker managed just 11 goals and 5 assists in 54 appeareances in all competitions in the 2018-19 campaign. It is crystal clear that Coutinho is not enjoying his time at the Nou Camp currently and the arrival of Frenkie De Jong could make life more difficult for him in the upcoming season
The heart of the matter
Barcelona are set for a busy summer, with many of their stars reportedly leaving in the transfer window. Coutinho remains one of the players, who is open to a move away, and the Catalan giants are also willing to listen to offers for him.
According to the report, PSG are interested in securing the services of the Brazilian star, but they won't be able to shell out anywhere near Barcelona's asking price. However, the Ligue 1 champions are willing to facilitate a loan move for the player with a purchase option.
The Blaugrana hierarchy realizes that the partnership between Coutinho and the club will go down as a loss, with the player's value dropping drastically in the transfer market. Premier League giants Manchester United and Chelsea have also made contact with the Catalan club for Coutinho.
What’s next?
It remains to be seen if PSG manage to snap up Coutinho in the summer transfer window.