Everton have been in contact with Barcelona about a potential loan move for Philippe Coutinho next season.
That’s according to Fichajes, who say the Blues are interesting in signing the former Liverpool man if the deal is right.
Coutinho is one of the players that Barcelona have placed on their sales list for this summer transfer window, with the Brazilian having failed live up to expectations since his arrival from Liverpool.
President Joan Laporta believes he is an ‘unnecessary asset’ for the club, but his poor performances mean a sale ‘seems almost impossible’.
A loan move would make more sense, and ‘in the last few hours’ Everton have been in contact about that possibility.
They are interested in bringing in Coutinho to bolster their attack, and new manager Rafa Benitez has asked the Everton board to sign the Brazilian.
They’ve in turn contacted Barcelona to negotiate a season-long loan deal that would not include a compulsory purchase option and would see the Catalans cover a ‘significant part’ of the player’s salary.
The financial situation at the Camp Nou means the idea of losing a chunk of Coutinho’s salary, which is one of the highest in the squad, is seen in a positive light, particularly as they need to meet new deadlines set by La Liga.
There is also a possibility Everton could sign Coutinho outright, although that would only be for a price that doesn’t exceed what they get for James Rodriguez, who it’s said has asked to leave and has offers from Italy.
Even in that situation, Coutinho’s wages would be a problem as they are simply too high for the player that he currently is.
