Barcelona pondering sensational sale of Coutinho

 

Barcelona are considering selling Philippe Coutinho at the end of the season to fund a blockbuster move to re-sign Neymar, claims the London Evening Standard.

 

Coutinho completed a dream move from Liverpool to Barcelona 12 months ago in a staggering deal worth €140m but the Brazil international has been forced to the fringes this season.

 

Ousmane Dembele has usurped Coutinho in the pecking order for places in recent months and Barcelona are sensationally re-evaluating the future of the former Liverpool playmaker.

 

Coutinho failed to take his chance to impress Ernesto Valverde in Thursday’s shock Copa Del Rey defeat to Levante and is now playing for his Barcelona future for the next six months.

 

Neymar has been heavily linked with a return to Barcelona ever since he completed a world record £200m move to Paris Saint-Germain in the summer of 2017.

 

Barcelona pondering sensational sale of Coutinho

 

 

Despite previously refuting claims he wants to return to Spain, Neymar is constantly mooted with a move back to Barcelona and the Spanish side are working out how they can re-sign him.

 

Coutinho was signed to help fill the void left by Neymar and Andreas Iniesta but has done neither and could be auctioned back to the Premier League in order to help fund Barcelona’s move for his close friend.

 

The Barcelona No.7 has made 16 appearances in the league this season, though has only started nine times in that period. His WhoScored rating of 7.04 in La Liga ranks sixth of all Barcelona players this season after scoring four goals and providing one assist.