The former Tottenham manager could be the solution to one of Barcelona’s problems.
Phillippe Coutinho’s future at Barcelona has been a doubt ever since the collapse in the Champions League against Liverpool. It became even more so when he was sent out on loan to Bayern Munich hours before the first match of the season.
With the German club unlikely to pick up the option, Barça have been studying every available option. They know selling him is going to be difficult given how much the club are looking to get for him and the wages he’ll demand.
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But they’ve gotten an unlikely ally in the form of Mauricio Pochettino.
According to Sport, signing the Brazilian playmaker is one of the conditions Pochettino has set should he take over at Newcastle. He wants the new owners to build a competitive side and believes Coutinho would be a sign of their ambition.
Pochettino had been interested in Coutinho when he was Spurs manager before Barcelona ultimately loaned him to Bayern Munich.
The new Newcastle owners would be willing to spend in the neighborhood of €98 million euros. Coutinho would become the face of the new era at Newcastle United.
While the Catalans would be still taking a loss considered how much they spent for him to pry him away from Liverpool, should they receive such an offer, they are likely to take it.
The amount is more that they are going to get from any other possible bidders and they can use that money to potentially offset the hit they’re going to take should they sign Lautaro Martinez.
With the amount of attacking talent the club already have, there would be no room for him should Barcelona decide to keep him. The relationship between him and the fans is also not the best since his peculiar celebration in the quarter-finals against Manchester United.
The best thing for Coutinho is a change of scenery. It hasn’t worked at Bayern but it could work at Newcastle. He would be back in the Premier League where he’s had the most success and at a club where he will be the focal point under a manager who can get the best out of him.