Tottenham and Arsenal ‘open to signing Philippe Coutinho on loan in January’

Tottenham and Arsenal ‘open to signing Philippe Coutinho on loan in January’ as Barcelona continue push to shift £145m flop off their wage bill

  • Barcelona outcast Philippe Coutinho could join Tottenham or Arsenal in January
  • The Premier League arch-rivals are reportedly interested in the Brazil midfielder
  • Liverpool are said to have dropped their interest in their former star playmaker
  • Heavily in-debt Barcelona could pay half of Coutinho’s £200,000 a week wage


Arsenal and Tottenham are interested in rescuing Philippe Coutinho from his Barcelona misery by bringing him back to the Premier League, according to a report.

Financially-striken Barca are desperate to shift high earner Coutinho from their books, with the Liga giants repeatedly rumoured to be ready to pay half of his £200,000 a week wage as part of a deal with potential suitors.

The playmaker has featured in just 82 minutes of the Liga season following his return from injury, and the north London arch-rivals remain open to a potential move in the January transfer window, El Nacional has said.

Tottenham manager Nuno Espirito Santo could be interested in Philippe Coutinho

Tottenham manager Nuno Espirito Santo (L) has been linked with a move for Philippe Coutinho

Former PFA Team of the Year nominee Coutinho shone for Liverpool between 2013 and 2018

Former PFA Team of the Year nominee Coutinho shone for Liverpool between 2013 and 2018

Coutinho would be a considerable creative asset to either club at his incisive best, although his lack of playing time since his move to the Camp Nou in 2018 for £145m – still a Premier League record – is an obvious concern.

The outlet claims that Liverpool have dropped any interest they had in a return for the captor of their Fans’ and Players’ Player of the Season awards in successive seasons between 2014 and 2016.

Agent Kia Joorabchian suggested last month that Coutinho would find it almost impossible to move to one of the Reds’ ‘direct competitors’ because of the affection he still holds for the club he once dazzled for.

Jurgen Klopp is not said to be considering a move for the player, who still holds the club dear

Jurgen Klopp is not said to be considering a move for the player, who still holds the club dear

The 29-year-old won the Champions League during a loan spell with Bayern Munich from Barca, tormenting his parent club by scoring twice in five minutes against them in a humiliating 8-2 semi-final thrashing in 2020.

That was his most eye-catching cameo as he helped the Bundesliga champions win the trophy, emerging from the bench again as Bayern edged out Paris Saint-Germain in the final. 

Barca have also been linked with a swap deal involving Coutinho and Arsenal captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang after losing Lionel Messi as a result of debts thought to total around £1.15 billion.

Coutinho has featured in beleaguered Barca’s last two matches, appearing for an hour in the 1-1 draw at home to Granada on Monday.

The former Inter Milan star also played for 22 minutes in the goalless draw at Cadiz on Thursday as his side extended their poor run to a solitary win in five matches.

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