Chelsea eyeing up a possible move for Barcelona star Philippe Coutinho
Chelsea knows they need to strengthen for next season and are considering making a move for the Barcelona star who is on loan at Bayern Munich.
Regardless of what happens to the rest of the season, all signs point to Chelsea finishing at least in a spot where they qualify for Europe. That being said, they know that their squad needs fresh, new faces.
Frank Lampard has had an up-and-down season and knew that it was going to be tough considering the club was dealt a transfer ban meaning they could not register any new signing. They could sign players but they just wouldn’t be able to play.
Fortunately, their transfer ban was lifted meaning it’s business as usual. Lampard relied on academy players to fill the gaps but with mixed results as can be expected given some inexperience.
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Both Lampard and those in charge know that if they want to compete on all fronts next season, they are going to need reinforcements. Especially on the wing as both Pedro and Willian are set to leave come to the end the season.
According to Diario Sport, they have identified Philippe Coutinho as one of their targets. Chelsea would like to acquire the Brazilian on loan with an option to buy. They’ve reportedly met with the player to see if he would be interested in a transfer.
Coutinho is likely to return to Barcelona whenever the Bundesliga ends as he’s failed to impress on loan at Bayern Munich. The Catalans would prefer to sell Coutinho despite their manager’s willingness to keep Coutinho should no significant offers arrive.
A loan deal could work for Barcelona only if the option included is mandatory. They know they aren’t going to get back what they paid for the former Liverpool player and that they’d rather get his wages off the bill.
A selling point is that Chelsea would pay his wages while on loan taking the burden off Barcelona.
Chelsea tried last season to sign him as a replacement for Eden Hazard but the transfer ban put a stop to that.
Next. Chelsea: Lampard wants to hijack inevitable Barcelona transfer. dark
As for Coutinho, a move to would mean going back to the Premier League where he came into prominence and he’d find himself at a club where he could feel important again.