Why Coutinho to Arsenal could happen in January
Arsenal have turned what was looking like a struggling season around and have surged up the Premier League table into fourth spot.
And now it appears the Gunners' form and ambition is attracting big-name transfer targets to consider the Emirates as their next home over other Premier League rivals.
The Daily Mail reports that Barcelona's Brazilian attacking midfielder Philippe Coutinho wants to move to north London on loan in January despite interest from Newcastle, Everton and Tottenham.
Recently most read
Barca are desperate to get Coutinho off the wage bill, with the player earning €22 million (£19m) per annum and contracted until 2023.
Coutinho knows he will need to take a wage cut to secure a loan move away from the Camp Nou and has identified Arsenal as a club whose on-pitch ambitions match his own.
And according to Spanish outlet Sport, manager Mikel Arteta is willing to meet Coutinho's lower salary demands as well as making him an integral part of his attacking line-up.
Will Coutinho join Arsenal?
Arsenal's resurgence has largely been down to youngsters Bukayo Saka, Emile Smith-Rowe, Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Martinelli, but Coutinho's experience could prove invaluable to Arteta.
The 29-year-old played his best football in the Premier League with Liverpool and would still prove an asset to most teams in England.
Coutinho is said not to be keen on Newcastle as they could be playing in the Championship next season.
And Everton seems an unlikely destination given his past with their rivals across Stanley Park at Anfield.
Arsenal signed Martin Odegaard on loan from Real Madrid in January 2021 and his impressive performances in the second half of last season convinced Arteta to sign him permanently in the summer.
The manager will hope to emulate that success with Coutinho, and a chance to try him out for six months could make up his mind.
