Newcastle are Barca’s last hope to offload Coutinho

Robin Bairner

4 Nov 2021 12:36 GMT
3 min read

Philippe Coutinho, Barcelona, 2021/22 — © ProShots

Philippe Coutinho’s unhappy spell with Barcelona could draw to a close in January, with a potential move to Newcastle mooted.

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The Brazilian star has endured an unhappy time with Barca, with injuries and a lack of form meaning that he has never lived up to the mega billing he was afforded when he moved to the club in January 2018 as a replacement for Neymar.

Indeed, Coutinho has managed only 101 games for Barca and has scored 24 goals – a relatively meagre return for a player who was signed for €160 million, still one of the biggest fees ever.

But while Coutinho still possesses the potential to light the game up at the highest level, the collapse of the transfer market means that Barcelona have struggled to find a buyer.

The cash-strapped Camp Nou side will have given up recouping much of the money they spent on him nearly four years ago and instead are eager to get him off their books in order to allow his wages to be invested elsewhere in the squad.

Coutinho would have departed in the summer, but there were no buyers for him.

Why Coutinho to Newcastle works

The market has not significantly shifted in the intervening three months, with one club being the exception.

The Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund’s (PIF) takeover of Newcastle means that suddenly there is a new big-money player in the transfer market. Moreover, this is a team looking to strengthen – and quickly.

Coutinho is the type of marquee name who could generate excitement around Newcastle’s project. Not only does he have proven Premier League quality thanks to his time with Liverpool, but he is also very much on the transfer list.

Sport reports that Barcelona are ready to offer him to Newcastle – and in truth there is no other obvious answer to their problem.

Coutinho remains under contract at Barcelona until 2023 and is taking up valuable resources that could be used elsewhere. Nevertheless, it looks like Newcastle or bust for him this January.