With the January transfer window well underway now, rumors are swirling left right and centre. The ones concerning Barcelona outcast Phillipe Coutinho are particularly spicy given the Brazilian's sticky situation at the Camp Nou.
Coutinho arrived at Barcelona for a club record €142 million in January 2018, after dazzling in the Liverpool midfield for 5 years. But his dream move soon turned into a nightmare. Being played out of position by then Barca boss Ernesto Valverde didn't help his confidence, and his performances deteriorated. He won a continental treble on loan at Bayern Munich in 2020 only to see himself frozen out on his return to Barcelona.
With the Blaugrana rotting in a financial pithole and unable to register new signing Ferran Torres, they are desperate to get Coutinho's €146,000 a week wages off the bill. Linked with a move back to the Premier League, the likes of Arsenal, Aston Villa and Everton have shown an interest in the 29-year old.
Arsenal are interested in a loan move without an obligation to buy, with Barcelona covering a bulk of the Brazilian's wages. Aston Villa's interest is seemingly the most concrete one as Villa boss Steven Gerrard is reportedly keen to reunite with his former midfield partner. The player also reportedly wants to move to Villa Park and play under the Liverpool Legend.
Phillipe Coutinho is frustrated with his lack of game time at Barca. He is concerned about his place in the Brazil squad with the 2022 World Cup on the horizon.
With interest across England rising day by day, a transfer seems likely. The question now is where will he end up and whether his new manager can get the best out of his undeniable talent.
Sources: ESPN, BBC, Sky Sports, Fabrizio Romano