Newcastle United are ‘squeezing hard’ to sign Philippe Coutinho from Barcelona this summer and have asked the player’s entourage to hold off signing a deal elsewhere before their takeover is completed.
The Magpies are on the verge of being taken over by a Saudi investment fund which would, by all accounts, turn them into the club with the richest owners in the Premier League.
Should it go through as anticipated the club will undergo a significant overhaul this summer, with several big-name signings planned.
Coutinho is one they are keen on, according to Sport, with them knowing he would be a ‘major’ capture for the club.
They are pressing for his signature but have asked his agents to wait while they first complete the takeover and then find themselves a high-profile manager to replace Steve Bruce.
The Brazilian is among their priorities, and they intend to match Barcelona’s asking price to secure him ahead of the competition.
That currently stands at €90m, with the La Liga giants keen to move him on from the Camp Nou ‘as soon as possible’ so they can add to their own forward line.
