Barcelona are reportedly plotting a major double swoop this summer, with PSG’s Marco Verratti and Liverpool’s Philippe Coutinho on their radar.
According to The Mirror, the Catalan giants will begin the process of searching for a replacement for Andres Iniesta, who is expected to call time on his spell at the Nou Camp when his contract expires at the end of next season.
With Barca ready to move on in the event that he decides not to sign an extension, the report claims that Coutinho has been placed at the top of the club’s transfer shortlist as he continues to impress at Anfield.
Although his performances have significantly dipped since his return from injury in January, he still has seven goals and seven assists in 27 appearances in all competitions so far this season as he hopes to inspire the Reds to a top-four finish.
This isn’t the first time that the Brazilian international has been linked with a move to Barca though, as the Metro reported in November last year that Liverpool had placed a £67m price tag on him to fend off interest from the La Liga outfit.
Whether it works remains to be seen, but the appeal of moving to Spain and playing alongside compatriot Neymar could be two of the factors that comes into play when making his decision.
Meanwhile, Verratti is also said to be a top priority for the Barca hierarchy, as per the Mirror, although he won’t be cheap by any means as LeSport10 reported earlier this month that he would command a fee of around €85m as he has established himself as one of the top midfielders in Europe.
After gambles on the likes of Andre Gomes and Denis Suarez, they haven’t really paid off even though it’s an almost impossible task to find someone capable of filling Iniesta’s shoes moving forward.
Nevertheless, if there is one player who has the vision, technical quality and passing range to seamlessly fit into the Barca midfield, then it is surely Verratti and that makes him arguably worth paying the huge fee.