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Barcelona look to use record-signing as bait in potential Neymar deal

By Atharva Khadilkar

BILBAO, SPAIN - FEBRUARY 10: (L-R) Ousmane Dembele of FC Barcelona, Philippe Coutinho of FC Barcelona during the La Liga Santander match between Athletic de Bilbao v FC Barcelona at the Estadio San Mames on February 10, 2019 in Bilbao Spain (Photo by David S. Bustamante/Soccrates/Getty Images)
BILBAO, SPAIN - FEBRUARY 10: (L-R) Ousmane Dembele of FC Barcelona, Philippe Coutinho of FC Barcelona during the La Liga Santander match between Athletic de Bilbao v FC Barcelona at the Estadio San Mames on February 10, 2019 in Bilbao Spain (Photo by David S. Bustamante/Soccrates/Getty Images) /
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Neymar’s departure has had a negative impact on Barcelona, monetarily as well as on the European front. The club is now keen on bringing him back.

Barcelona are currently in pursuit of the UEFA Champions League and La Liga with two months of the season still to go, however, they find themselves second favourites domestically and not even as one of the prime contenders for the European crown as per the odds. The club has already been knocked out of the Copa del Rey.

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Quique Setien has done a decent job so far in his first few months as the Barca boss, but the former Real Betis manager’s reign can only be judged after he has had a summer to transform the team. Following the end of this season, it is expected that the manager asks his side to sign some players in the transfer window ahead of the next campaign.

Neymar continues to be a key target for the Blaugrana going into the summer, but the Brazil international’s move could be unaffordable. Paris Saint-Germain value their record-signing at 200 million euros and given that the Catalans would be pursuing the transfer of a striker as well, it is difficult to think that they will have the necessary financial liquidity.

Diario AS has reported that Barca will be looking to get rid of some players in order to raise funds for the summer’s transfers. Philippe Coutinho is one of the players expected to leave Camp Nou this summer, but instead of selling him off, the La Liga giants could use the ex-Liverpool man as a makeweight in their potential signing of Neymar.

Philippe Coutinho is having a good campaign on loan at Bayern Munich, who have an option to buy him for 120 million euros at the end of his spell. However, Serge Gnabry has fired on all guns this season barring Coutinho’s playing time and that could see the Bavarians give up on their option of signing the winger on a permanent basis.

Coutinho’s value is thought to have fallen to 70 million euros after his lacklustre displays. Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain seem to be interested in the forward and it had earlier been rumoured that Inter Milan would also be willing to accept the Brazilian ace as part of their likely Lautaro Martinez to the defending Spanish league champions.

Next. Ter Stegen makes a non-negotiable demand from Barcelona. dark

Do you think Paris Saint-Germain will accept a player like Coutinho whose quality has downtrodden?

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