Chelsea have handed transfer huge boost in bid to sign Philippe Coutinho from Barcelona as Catalan giants are reportedly willing to consider making a £60million loss on Brazilian playmaker.
The 27-year-old is currently out on loan with Bayern Munich and although they are paying his £7.2m-a-season wages, the Bundesliga side have balked at his £102m option to buy.
With that in mind,Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo report that Barcelona, who paid £145m to sign him from Liverpool, ‘would accept with their eyes closed’ if an offer arrived around €80-90m (£68-77m). Finding a suitor for Coutinho, given his drop in performances, could prove tough.
He has failed to make an impact since leaving Anfield, and is currently on loan at Bayern Munich where he has scored seven goals in 26 appearances this season.
Chelsea, meanwhile, are armed with a war chest of at least £150m – having sold star man Eden Hazard to Real Madrid in July – after their transfer ban was lifted.
The Blues have long admired Coutinho and missed out on him this summer thanks to their suspension. Barcelona are apparently willing to cut their losses and flog Coutinho for just £77million. And the ex-Liverpool star is reportedly open to a sensational Premier League return.
That would leave Chelsea with enough funds left over to reinvest in their squad, with Jadon Sancho and Ben Chilwell at the top of Frank Lampard’s transfer wishlist.
000