Leicester City eye cut-price deal for Barcelona star - Reports
Leicester City have been linked with a move for Barcelona midfielder Philippe Coutinho. The Brazilian has struggled to settle at Camp Nou since joining Barcelona in January 2018.
According to Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona could be set to cut their losses this summer by selling Philippe Coutinho. The Blaugrana are keen to get the 29-year-old off their wage bill and are believed to be willing to accept as little as €20 million for Coutinho.
Leicester City are rumoured to be interested in signing Coutinho for a cut-price deal this summer. The Foxes narrowly missed out on Champions League football for the second season in a row.
Brendan Rodgers is eager to sign a player of Coutinho's pedigree to his squad, as that could boost Leicester City's chances of qualifying for the Champions League next season.
Philippe Coutinho was considered to be one of the best midfielders in the game when Barcelona signed him from Liverpool in a deal worth €160 million in January 2018.
After struggling to settle at Barcelona in his first full season, Coutinho was sent out on loan to Bayern Munich for the 2019-20 campaign. The midfielder rediscovered his magic touch there, helping the club win the treble that season.
Bayern Munich, however, decided against exercising their option to buy Coutinho for £100 million at the end of his loan spell. The former Liverpool star was heavily linked with a move to the Premier League last season, with Chelsea and Arsenal showing interest in signing him.
Coutinho was convinced by Ronald Koeman to stay at Barcelona. The Brazilian's 2020-21 campaign, however, was ravaged by injuries, and that has forced Barcelona to consider his future at the club.
Reports have suggested that Barcelona have grown tired of Coutinho's inability to live up to his price tag and are ready to part ways with him this summer.
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Leicester City view Barcelona's Philippe Coutinho as a potential replacement for Youri Tielemans
Leicester City are set for another summer transfer window in which a number of their star players have been linked with moves to some of Europe's top clubs. Youri Tielemans is one such player; Leicester City's Player of the Season has been heavily linked with a move to Liverpool this summer.
Youri Tielemans' potential exit and the dip in form of James Maddison could force Leicester City to sign a top-quality midfielder like Philippe Coutinho this summer. The Brazilian's wages could prove to be a major obstacle for the Foxes, though.
Nevertheless, Leicester City could try to sign the Brazilian midfielder on loan with an obligation to buy at the end of the 2021-22 season.
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