Tottenham could reportedly go up against rivals Chelsea as the two clubs have seemingly set their sights on Barcelona misfit Philippe Coutinho.
The 27-year-old has struggled since his decision to leave Liverpool in 2018, as he failed to hit top form with the Catalan giants before being shipped out on a season-long loan to Bayern Munich last summer.
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After bagging just 21 goals and 11 assists in 76 appearances for Barca, Coutinho has managed nine goals and eight assists in 32 outings for Bayern.
For a player of his quality and experience, much more is arguably expected, and so it remains to be seen if the reigning Bundesliga champions decide to turn his loan spell into a permanent move.
If not, it doesn’t seem as though Coutinho will be short of options, as the Mirror report that Tottenham could also now be interested in the Brazilian international with Chelsea said to be keen.
It’s added that Barcelona are willing to loan the playmaker out again, but they want an obligation to buy at the end of the deal included in any agreement.
While Chelsea are said to prefer an option, Tottenham could meet Barcelona’s preference to move into pole position if they wish, although it remains to be seen if an agreement can be reached on the financial details of any deal.
After Christian Eriksen’s exit in January, it could be argued that Spurs have a void to fill in the final third with Coutinho capable of offering that same creativity and goal threat through the middle.
With that in mind, it could be a smart signing to bolster Jose Mourinho’s squad, although time will tell if Coutinho is open to a move to north London, especially if Spurs miss out on Champions League qualification this season.
That could give Chelsea the edge, but much will perhaps hinge on whether or not an obligation to buy is agreed upon between the two parties as Barcelona may want him off the books permanently if it isn’t going to work out at the Nou Camp.