Time is running out for Joan Laporta to get the highest earners off of Barcelona’s books, however, salvation may come in the way of a Serie A giant after talks to move Philippe Coutinho back to Liverpool tailed off.
The Brazilian, Barca’s record signing, has consistently underperformed in Catalonia, and Laporta has now decided it’s time to rid the club of its dead wood.
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It was believed that the player could be heading back to Anfield, something that the Liverpool ECHO dispute, however, Serie A side, AC Milan, may now have a need for his services even if a deal will be difficult to push through.
“It’s pretty complicated with the financial situation in Serie A,” Get Italian Football News editor, Kaustubh Pandey, said on an Italian football special of the Blood Red channel, cited by the Liverpool ECHO.
“Milan, it was reported, were interested in a swap deal involving Coutinho and Alessio Romagnoli but it just shows that clubs in Italy might not be doing many non-trade deals.
“Barcelona are reluctant to do another loan – they want a permanent solution – and they are pretty short of cash.”
Given the current financial predicament that Barcelona find themselves in, they can ill afford to be left with Coutinho draining their wage bill whilst sitting on the bench for the majority of the season.
However, if the status quo doesn’t change quickly, that’s precisely the scenario facing the Catalans.